Looking at the landscape of faith in our nation and in this generation, some may see a dry place in need of spiritual rain, or a dead place void of life. But what we see is not all there is.

Isaiah 53:2 calls Jesus “a root out of dry ground.” When planting His Son in the world, God chose an environment where life isn’t supposed to grow. But when He speaks, dead things come to life. God summons His people to plant that same gospel in the soil of every human heart.

I wrote Until All Know to lay the foundation for this next season of growth in the Assemblies of God Youth Ministries. We stand on the edge of a generation who must know God as well as His works, and it falls to us to take them by the hand as we walk through the harvest field together. We must explain why we plant the seeds of the gospel, the Holy Spirit and the mission.

We are believing God will use this vision, outlined in this book, to produce three outcomes in this generation and in our youth ministries: that they would be gospel-centered, Spirit-empowered and personally responsible for the mission of God.

Gospel-Centered

The gospel, according to Scripture, “is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18). Our identity is informed by the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. Colossians 3:3 says, “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.”

When a person is fully centered in the gospel, the truth of their identity — who they really are — is realized. True life transformation begins when we become like Christ, and it starts with the gospel.

God’s primary desire is for us to be in relationship with Him. Jesus is not the preferred way to the Father, nor is He the most relevant way. He is the only way, and “there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). The only way our world will ever know God is first and foremost through the gospel. This next generation must know both Him and His works.

The gospel compels us to live a life greater than ourselves. “Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died” (2 Corinthians 5:14). When we are compelled, we must go. But before we go, we need to receive the power of the Spirit.

Spirit-Empowered

Spirit-empowerment is necessary to effectively preach and, even more so, to demonstrate the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Jesus asked His disciples to remain in Jerusalem until the promise He mentioned many times would come. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8).

When the disciples were gathered in the upper room in Jerusalem, a sound like a rushing wind filled the room, and the 120 people there began to speak in other languages. They were filled with the Holy Spirit’s power and empowered to preach the gospel as witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The gospel compels us to live a life greater than ourselves.

The Holy Spirit enables us to encounter God time and time again so we become witnesses, not just of what we believe, but of who and how we believe.

It’s imperative that this generation of students understand the Holy Spirit is not just a luxury, and not just someone who makes us preach better and lead better. The Holy Spirit is a third member of the triune Godhead. He is holy. He demonstrates the kingdom. He is a necessity.

The work of the Lord is not accomplished by might, nor by power, but by His Spirit (Zechariah 4:6). The purpose of God we are to fulfill in this generation is so significant that we cannot do it alone.

In obeying the Spirit’s leading, students need to know why the baptism in the Spirit and praying in a heavenly language is important. They need to lay hands on sick people and watch God heal them. They need to exercise the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

A student is being Spirit-empowered if an encounter with Jesus translates into practical living, practical ministry, and practical acts of love to the glory of God. The more spiritual we are, the more practical we become.

Personally Responsible

Ultimately it is the goal as the Holy Spirit works in our life that we look at the world through His eyes. Jesus calls us to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). It’s our mandate and privilege to take the gospel to those who have yet to hear; to tell them and show them the love of God.

We want students to be equipped to personally engage in the mission of God in their generation. They must understand that through the gospel and the empowering work of the Holy Spirit, living on mission can allow them to become the answer to somebody else’s prayer.

Students should recognize their responsibility to be present and share the gospel in everyday situations. They should spend time in prayer interceding for those who don’t know Jesus or have not yet surrendered their lives to Him. They should be giving of their finances in local and global missions.

Being personally responsible isn’t always convenient or popular, but it is necessary because we come in contact with people who need help that only Jesus and His Holy Spirit can provide. These opportunities are often disguised as ordinary conversations, ordinary events and ordinary people. When students slow down long enough to notice who and what is in their path, they can demonstrate what love and truth really look like.

Conclusion

We are believing God will use the vision in Until All Know to bring about revival in our nation. But to make the impact we’re praying for, we need to explain why we live with the eternal harvest in mind.

We need to ensure the seeds of the gospel, the Holy Spirit and the mission are planted in the soil of eternity. We need to focus on what Jesus called us to, so the next generation will become gospel-centered, Spirit-empowered and personally responsible for the mission of God.

Until all know.