Wednesday, April 23, 2008
All In The Family
The discouraging statistics regarding young people who leave the church after high school say more about the family, I believe, than about the church. I do think that entertainment/event driven youth ministry ultimately fails in its stated purpose. But, in the end, parents, particularly fathers must answer to the departure of their sons and daughters from the fellowship of God's people.
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3 comments:
Wow ... these statistics are very scary. This certainly reinforces our need to encourage parents to be the primary disciplers of their children!
Do you suppose a part of this sad trend is due to the fact that our relationship to Almighty God is often compartmentalized and relegated to the place we go on Sunday (let's do 'church'), instead of affecting our interaction with the body (church) and those who need to hear the Gospel? Young folks can smell a fake a mile away. Whether or not they know it, they need something that is real and they need to see us, their parents, living it on Monday through Saturday as well!
I am encouraged - parenting is a worthwhile occupation! I am challenged - before God, I must do this well!
I think much of it has to do with the fact that youth programs tend to seek a synthesis with the culture rather than provide the antithesis we should be - because Christianity is after all antithetical to the world system. Instead we try make Christianity a really neat and fun culutural alternative. Problem is, you can't make Christianity near as fun as the world - the world and sin are WAY more fun. Only problem is that fun is superficial and fleeting and empty. We are not created for entertainment - but are our kids getting that message ? I'll be honest, I am very skeptical of the whole youth program concept. It is after all our invention and should be subject to scrutiny and criticism. But, it seems to really be a sacred cow and I'm not sure why.
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