Posted on 06/20/2007 8:58:09 PM PDT by Mr. Silverback
I was dismayed a while back when I learned that a Barna survey found that “less than one out of every ten churched teenagers has a biblical worldview.” But a survey is just that, a survey. Things couldn’t be that bad, could they? Well, I recently heard a shocking story that vividly illustrates just how far relativism has infected the Church—to the point where Christian kids balk at the idea that Christianity would claim to be, of all things, true.
Four years ago, the BreakPoint staff and I launched Centurions, an intensive, year-long education program designed to equip 100 people each year to defend a biblical worldview and teach it to others.
One of our Centurions participants takes that call very seriously as she works with students at a local middle school. She sponsors a Christian club at the school, voluntary of course, and in accord with all the state laws. The students lead the club, and she mentors those leaders.
The club has been studying the ReWired curriculum, which BreakPoint created with Ron Luce’s Teen Mania. The DVD explores the four basic worldview questions: Where do I come from? Why is the world in such a mess? Is there a way to fix it? Is there a purpose for my life?
Everything was going fine until the group reached lesson 10. Lesson 10 leads the kids through a series of choices to learn to recognize the difference between matters of truth and matters of taste. One of the choices, “believing Islam, Buddhism or Christianity,” flashed on the screen.
Our Centurion—I’ll call her Joanne, told me what happened next: “The students went nuts. All but one of the eight leaders completely balked at the concept of distinguishing Christianity as true and other religions as false.”
The next day when they met again, Joanne told the students leaders that they would not have to teach lesson 10 to other students if they didn’t believe it.
Joanne learned that several of the seventh graders had talked to their parents or pastors over night. But the result of those conversations was shocking. One girl had written a paper that night on “why we shouldn't hurt others feelings by claiming our way is right.” One young lady had met with her pastor, who told her no one can be sure of truth. “It is all perspective,” he said. The students agreed that they should not offend others by saying Christianity is true. Only one was prepared to teach it.
While Joanne respected the authority of the parents and pastors, she encouraged the students to continue to consider the concept of truth, reminding them that Christianity--like Islam and many other religions--makes an exclusive claim to truth. She also reminded them that the words “I am the way, the truth and the life . . . no man comes to the Father except by me,” were Jesus' words, not hers.
What I find really shocking here is what this story tells us about the state of discipleship, not just of our kids, but of parents and pastors. This story is a wake-up call. We must learn what we believe, why we believe it and then instill it into our children, giving them a biblical view of all of life. We can’t stand idly by while relativism undermines the faith of our kids and robs them of the one sure hope they have—and desperately need. Friends, if this story gets to you like it gets to me, it’s time we got busy.
To a liberal, I’m narrow minded because I believe in the effects of gravity.
FWIW, you don't have to focus on the negative. Christianity is the only faith in the world where you have a personal Saviour, who has already paid the price for your sins. You don't have to do any special deeds, just believe and have FAITH in JESUS.
Yes he is! :-)
Unfortunately you're right. Scripture never tells us everyone will come to a saving faith.
I wasn't badgering you, I was conversing with you. Basically, if we'd been talking about football, you wouldn't be whining about how when you posted something to me I had the audacity to post back. Kinda misanthropic, dude.
and if these are the methods Chuck Colson has in mind to "instill" his message in a generation of children, he will not convert them either.
How did you pass the bar with such poor logic skills? This article is not about witnessing to non-Christians, it's about Christian parents and clergy instilling their values in their kids. That's why I asked about your parents.
Of course not, but this poor deluded dude thinks that there’s a command for Christians to badger every persobn until they convert.
You'll find out...hopefully sooner rather than later.
Anyone who thinks they haven’t sinned should try walking on water...but then, I think that’s what you were getting at...:-)
Logic, shmogic. I prayed : )
This article is not about witnessing to non-Christians, it's about Christian parents and clergy instilling their values in their kids. That's why I asked about your parents.
By "values" do you mean morals or ethics? Parents can, indeed, teach their kids how to play nice with others (ethics). But how does one "teach" faith (morals)? I thought Christianity stresses a *personal* relationship with God. How can parents get their kids to believe the message 100% the way Colson intends, i.e., how can one "instill" a leap of faith? That's why I asked you what methods Colson (or others like him) propose?
As for my own parents, let's just say that I'm happier than they are with how I turned out, and "lawyer" has very little to do with that. You can "instill" away 'til you're blue in the face, but don't underestimate the ability of kids of any age to see through what they perceive to be BS.
To who?
You: To who?
I guess some of my humor needs explanation. You called my logic skills poor, and I replied with a brief joke -- see the attempted smiley face. A "reason vs. faith" joke: I don't need logic and reason as long as I have faith. I could have gone balls-out and responded to your charge with an angry essay-length rant, but I'm not that sensitive (or angry at all) so I decided on a brief joke instead. Ba-da-bum. Thank you, I'll be here all week.
Cheers.
Didn't you say you came out of a Jewish background? How do you not know that in the Law the Jews are commanded to teach God's laws to their children, to discuss them as they sit in their home and as they travel?
One does not instill a leap of faith, but one does teach ethics and morals. If you have a son, will you teach him that there is no God? If so, how could you possibly get that across to him without using methods similar to Colson's? If not, aren't you just letting him wander around until someone like me puts (from your point of view) pathetic gobbledygook into his skull full-o-mush?
don't underestimate the ability of kids of any age to see through what they perceive to be BS.
Consider this: This Joanne woman in the article believes that Jesus wasn't kidding when He said he is the Way, Truth and Life, and presumably she does her best to live as if that is true. The kids she teaches are surrounded by people who believe there's really no such thing as truth, yet still claim to follow Jesus. Therefore, I submit that these seven kids have been completely co-opted by the BS "Christian" values of their parents and clergy. You've got 8 kids. One set of parents modeled a Christianity that claims to be The Truth, the other seven modeled a Christianity that is playing dressup on Sunday morning. Or, perhaps they are serious, but they aren't quite serious enough about their faith to make sure that their kids aren't multi-culted out of it by the public schools and/or pastors who belong on a hippie commune. When a leader stood up and said, "Here's what we do if this stuff is real," only the kid who saw the real deal at home accepted that concept. The others tried to remake Christianity in their parents' (or their school's) image.
That's how you instill values, by discussing them, holding to them and living them. It worked like a charm for all eight kids. Another thing to consider is that you and I have more in common than I have with the Sunday dressup Christians. You and I both deal in a world where certain truths exist. I believe it's true there's a God, you don't. One of us is wrong, but neither of us would dream of saying we're both right. But they would tell us we're both right, or maybe tell you you're wrong, but only say it because they're "supposed to." I believe they're the ones Christ was talking about when He said people should either be hot or cold, because He'd spit the lukewarm out of His mouth.
Mine was a joke, too. I just didn’t add the smiley face.
You know the worst part? The head of our local library's Youth Services Department just couldn't figure out for the life of her why I was angry that my tax dollars were supporting an introduction to astrology for kids. even though she doesn't believe in it at all she just had no idea why I'd be worried about a bunch of kids being taught that such voodoo is a science.
Now...I'm not saying that I would have turned out the same in a different background, but who knows? Kids don't always turn out like their parents (I didn't). If I ever become a parent, the values that will most concern me are secular -- don't hit, don't steal, don't lie, don't put a person in a cage for smoking weed, don't lay claim to other people's earnings, etc. Beyond what matters most to me...whatever. Yes, I would mention that I do not believe in God (or anything else supernatural), but will not force the issue. I will, indeed, let them "wander around" to a great extent. I did, and think I turned out OK.
Finally, I agree we have more in common than Sunday dress-up Christians, as well as Jews who keep kosher but think of God as "something out there." My initial post and a couple others were misinterpreted as suggesting that all beliefs are equally valid and true. Far from it! Many beliefs out there are mutually exclusive (there is a God vs. there isn't), and others may or may not be (God vs. evolution, or God AND evolution). Of course, I want everyone to get along because I don't want to be blown to bits by someone who holds a competing version of truth, but I'd never suggest that two mutually exclusive beliefs can both be true. As for why I phrased my post the way I did...honestly, I forget. It was four days ago...and late. Like it is now.
Cheers.
Actually; I wasn't.
I re-read what I posted and it makes no sense to ME now!
(My idea had to do with some poor soul, down in the galley with an oar and a fellow on each side of him; all rowing like crazy! LARSON-like)
Ahh...so that's what you were getting at! I love the Far Side, and its portrayals of hell -- cardiovascular exercise, video stores, complaint boxes...pretty good stuff. South Park's hell looks a lot more fun though.
Meditate on Exodus 3:14 for a while...then cross meditate on the Genesis story when God says “Let us make man in our image”.
In one sense all that we can know about God is what he chooses to reveal about himself...either through the Bible or in his direct presence in our hearts through a relationship with him.
When God spoke to Moses out of the burning bush, he called himself “I AM THAT I AM!” (or “who” depending on the translation). He is the “IS” in all that exists. We humans exhibit the very essense of God’s image impressed into our beings by the use of the phrase “I” in our every day conversations and by possessing self awareness, a sense of our own “IS’ness”!
It can help clear the head and heart when praying, by realizing that while we can scarcely know God in his vast wonderfulness, we at aleast are praying to a God who is self aware, self sustaining, and self Identifying another words...”I am not praying to a god of sticks or stones, or to Satan or Demons who masquerade as God, but to the Living God, the GOD THAT IS GOD, and the GOD WHO KNOWS THAT HE IS GOD! BLESSED IS HE THAT COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!”
Here is something I meditate on(a kind of exercise in logic): God said to Moses “I AM THAT I AM” there fore
HE is that HE is ergo
God is that God is...
and believing that we are made in his image,
We are what we are, only
because He is what He is!
Strife and confusion can try to shake our faith and confidence in this “Is” God, and Satan has many voices with which to confuse our knowledge of God’s presence...but just remember; the real God knows that HE IS GOD! Center your self on that priciple when you pray even in uncertainty of the knowledge of just who you are praying to and your pleas will fly true like arrows to HIS heart.
The meaning of the story in which Jesus incensed the religious leaders by declaring, “Before Abraham was I AM” should now spread across your heart like a dawning sun. This is the very essence of Christianity, God as a man visiting us bodily in our fallen state. Have confidence in Christ even if churches sometimes fail, and be confident the the “IS” God will complete his work in you as it appears to me he is doing in you!
Have confidence in Christ even if churches sometimes fail, and be confident the the “IS” God will complete his work in you as it appears to me he is doing in you!
Thank you so much.
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