Stephen James grew up in church. He attended nearly every Sunday, knew what Christians believed, and repeatedly heard that he needed Jesus. There was just one thing he didn’t understand: Why?

“I simply had not been shown why the problem [that] Christ came to solve was my problem,” James stated in an interview.

Without that understanding, invitations to accept Christ fell on deaf ears. James eventually left church, went to college, climbed the career ladder, married, and built a life that seemed to work just fine without God. But his need for Christ had not changed.

Years later, after a medical crisis, the end of his marriage, and serious financial difficulties, a retired pastor who was also his friend sat down with him. This time, James heard about what Christ had done and why he needed it.

Finally understanding, James accepted Christ in his 40s. His experience, however, raises an important question as millions of young people search for answers of their own: Are we clearly presenting the gospel?

They’re Asking Big Questions

A 2026 Barna survey of 1,500 American teenagers found that today’s teens are wrestling with questions that go far beyond school, friends, and what they want to do after graduation.

Seventy-two percent said they feel pressure to figure out what is true or worth believing. Seventy percent are wrestling with who they really are, 69 percent are struggling to determine what is right and wrong. Sixty-six percent wrestle with why they are here.

Fifty-seven percent are trying to determine whether God loves them, and 56 percent are wrestling with whether God is real at all.

Teens are also worried about the world in which they are growing up. Seventy-eight percent feel pressure to figure out how they will make a living, 77 percent are wondering whether their generation will have a stable future, and the same amount can’t decide whether society is headed in the right direction or is falling apart.

Know Jesus Know Peace

The answers these young people need are the same ones James needed when he was growing up. Unlike today’s young people, however, he wasn’t unfamiliar with Christianity. He knew the terminology. He knew what Christians believed. He had spent years sitting in church. But as he discovered, knowing about Jesus was not the same as understanding why he personally needed a Saviour.

James believes that distinction is vital for today’s young people. “The invitation [to receive Jesus] is not the whole of the Gospel,” he stated. “The Gospel includes the reason the invitation exists in the first place” — that we are sinners in need of a savior.

Many young people may never walk into a church looking for the answers they seek. Others may darken the doors but may never hear the full gospel message.

So, let’s give it to them.

Young People Everywhere

Young people are in our neighborhoods, behind the counters where we shop, sitting in classrooms with our children and grandchildren, and delivering our groceries. We have a unique opportunity to reach these people with the gospel.

We may not know who is already wondering whether God is real. We may not be able to determine which person is struggling to answer why they are here or whether anyone cares about them. But God knows, and he’ll make sure the gospel reaches the people who are ready for it if we are faithful to give it.

Keep some Chick tracts with you and pass them out. Give one to the teenager at the drive-through window. Leave one with a tip. Offer one to the young person who bags your groceries or delivers your order. Give them to every young person you meet.

Research shows they are asking questions. Let’s make sure the whole gospel is the answer they find.