Posted on 08/24/2013 10:20:59 AM PDT by ReformationFan
"What do we do about our kids?" The group of parents sat together in my office, wiping their eyes. I'm a high school pastor, but for once, they weren't talking about 16-year-olds drinking and partying. Each had a story to tell about a "good Christian" child, raised in their home and in our church, who had walked away from the faith during the college years. These children had come through our church's youth program, gone on short-term mission trips, and served in several different ministries during their teenage years. Now they didn't want anything to do with it anymore. And, somehow, these mothers' ideas for our church to send college students "care packages" during their freshman year to help them feel connected to the church didn't strike me as a solution with quite enough depth.
The daunting statistics about churchgoing youth keep rolling in. Panic ensues. What are we doing wrong in our churches? In our youth ministries?
It's hard to sort through the various reports and find the real story. And there is no one easy solution for bringing all of those "lost" kids back into the church, other than continuing to pray for them and speaking the gospel into their lives. However, we can all look at the 20-somethings in our churches who are engaged and involved in ministry. What is it that sets apart the kids who stay in the church? Here are just a few observations I have made about such kids, with a few applications for those of us serving in youth ministry.
1. They are converted.
2. They have been equipped, not entertained.
3. Their parents preached the gospel to them.
(Excerpt) Read more at ipost.christianpost.com ...
Find a way to make morality respected and even rewarded. Heck, make morality a competitive sport, especially in good deeds. Improve on church role models. They must be straight, honest, charitable, good sports, admirable.
Yes, morality is good and should be encouraged.
But nothing will ever replace conversion. It’s not enough to follow Jesus teachings. One must give one’s life to Christ, and accept the salvation only He can offer.
Are you trying to find the one true faith or keep the youths interested? You may be right. But you are answering the wrong question. Have a blessed day.
and you have to let their faith be their own... that means letting go and letting God work through their circumstances... prodigal son (cringe)... not too long ago our two sons were debating on whether it was worse to be a wayward son or a prodigal son...
Yes, but no matter what parents do, children are always susceptible to being captured by our secular, pagan, vulgar culture, even if they are children of pastors. Wanting to fit in and be accepted is of paramount importance to kids, and when everyone else is doing it, then.....
WOW! Great article.
I’m disappointed by the shallowness of Sunday School teaching. In the one hour normally set aside for “school” you would think there would be a primary focus on study. I wonder how much time people devote themselves to studying God’s word verses things like “man day”.
And, yes, this chastisement includes me as well.
Crisis in Christiandom BEEP!
At the risk of trying to sound “too spiritual” I think there is another factor. It’s more than living a moral life before them - some lost parents do a pretty good job of that. And it’s more than preaching the Gospel TO them. It’s living the Gospel before them. Do they see us laying down our lives for Christ in the day to day of life. Do they see us struggling to be Christ like - and when we blow it do we seek their forgiveness if we’ve wronged them? Kids need to see that the standard (Christ) is being “applied” to our life as well - even when it’s painful, embarrassing, or humiliating. Are we honest enough with them to let them “see” that in our lives. What’s fair for the goose is fair for the gander. It just seems to be a fact of life that when others share their struggles and failures we feel closer to them because we see them as vulnerable - just like we are. To be fair, also, young married couples, who are believers, with small children are still growing in their their faith - and that is the formative years of their children. Who doesn’t make mistakes? Still, each of my three had their own crisis of faith but came out on the right side. We are all living in Sodom today and evil seems lots stronger than when I was growing up.
yes, ultimately morality does not equal conversion. everyone lives by a moral code whether they consciously know it or not. morality is subjective and relative and even so one can’t live by your own code perfectly. Even those that live by “I do what I want” fail because they are forced to do things they don’t want to do.
morality never saved anyone. conversion (ie sincerely receiving Jesus as Savior and Lord) saves.
I never said, "We have to go to Church." Therefore, it was never a duty nor was it an option.
I tried to be the best example of what a good Christian should be.
I kept my kids out of government schools, and I never let anyone take over my role as parent.
If my kids ever questioned why we go to Church I would say, "Jesus asked His Apostles to pray with Him for one hour when He was in the garden. The least we can do for Him is to visit Him for one hour a week.
Show trials and pogroms to follow.
This is a very excellent article. It shouldn’t be about the sports and the fun things - they have to be equipped. The should know and understand their faith. Catechesis isn’t just the ‘unfun boring stuff tacked on’, it’s the core of what it should be about.
You wouldn’t let your kids ‘opt out’ of school. Why would you let them opt out of church?
Kids aren’t stupid.
85% of children institutionalized for their schooling are NOT ACTIVE 2 years after high school. These kids are also from highly active evangelical homes.
So?....Do you want the odds in your child's favor or against them?
Answer: Choose homeschooling.
Progroms have already started.
If a person wants to get and keep a job it is now dangerous in many areas of our society to let on that one is a Christian.
And....Look what happened to many people and their jobs during and after Prop 8.
Good point!
Please read my post #15.
If you want the odds to be 95% in your child’s favor, choose homeschooling.
If you want the odds to be 85% for failure, choose godless and socialist-entitlement K-12 institutionalization for your child’s schooling.
Historically speaking, the pogroms have never stopped.
Excellent and convicting comments. Thank you.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.