According to a recent report by Michael Valpy in the Globe and Mail (December 14), young people in Canada seem to be losing their religion. “More than half of Canadians in the 15-to-29 age cohort either have no religion or never attend a service of worship, says Statistics Canada. Only 22 per cent say religion is very important to them, down from 34 per cent in 2002. And in a recent poll done by Nanos Research for The Globe and Mail, just one in five of the under-30 age group say they are the generation of their family that attends weekly religious services.”

While the decline in religious affiliation is noteworthy, yet there is hope for the Evangelical Church. Young people are still interested in Jesus. Instead of telling young people what to believe, we are invited to share our stories of faith; to share our experiences of love; and to share our concern for justice, peace and truth. When a young person undergoes baptism and speaks publicly of her reason for committing her life to Jesus, her friends and family listen with genuine interest. The compelling witness of a personal faith demonstrated in water baptism cannot be explained away.

On Sunday, when we witness the baptisms of an adult professional and a high school student, our faith rises up in hope and celebration for what God is doing in each person’s life. We resonate with the act of faith commitment to Jesus. We celebrate the hope that Jesus gives to each person who dedicates his or her life to God. There is no doubt that faith engenders faith; that faith is contagious; that faith is life-changing.

While Canadians seem to be losing faith in institutional religion, the followers of Jesus in the Evangelical community are actively sharing their faith and making disciples. We have an urgent priority in sharing the story of Jesus; in telling our story of personal commitment to Jesus.

Let us pray that God will turn the tide of secularism and unbelief in Canada. Let us ask the Lord of the Harvest to raise up committed believers who are not ashamed of their faith and who will engage in sharing their personal faith others. Let us pray for an amazing outpouring of God’s Spirit upon the people of Canada. Let us remember Jesus’ charge to his disciples in Acts 1:8: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”