Maya Bradley is the BYM Administrator for Baptist Youth Ministries and a member of Royal Oak Baptist Church.
Call to Prayer – Sunday 25 May, 5PM
As national Youth Week (19–25 May) draws to a close, we are inviting the entire Baptist whānau to partner with other church denominations across Aotearoa to gather in a united act of prayer. This is a call to pray for our tamariki and rangatahi—our children and young people—who make up the “first third” of our population. They are not just our future; they are part of the Church and world today.
Why now?
Because we can feel it. Our children and young people are crying out for something real, something stable, something holy. They're navigating anxiety, addiction, isolation, identity confusion, and disconnection not just from community, but for many, from God. These issues that young people face are not statistics to us; they have names and faces. They sit in our church pews, live in our homes, walk our school hallways, they are our family.
And yes —Jesus is still in the business of healing. Of revealing Himself to the young. Of calling them to Himself.
That’s why we’re gathering to pray.
What does it look like?
It’s not a programme. There’s no signup form or stage. Just a time—5PM on Sunday 25 May—and a desire to join in prayer across the country.
You might head to the high places: a hilltop or mountain lookout. You might find meaning in a space that’s sacred to your church or community. Or maybe you’ll meet in a backyard, a beach, or a quiet room in your home.
However you gather, the heart of it is simple: we pray. We lift up our young people to our Father. We stand in the gap for a generation in need of hope, peace, belonging, and truth.
And we believe Jesus is there—right in the midst of us.
Let’s not just talk about the next generation—let’s show up for them in prayer. Let’s believe in transformation. Let’s trust that God will meet them and lead them forward with courage and faith.
Will you join us in lifting up the young people of our nation?
Baptist Youth Ministries & Baptist Childrens and Families Ministry
If your church is engaging with this call to prayer, we would love to hear how it goes for you. Shoot us an email with a reflection: [email protected] or [email protected]
