Thursday, June 17, 2010

Don't Throw the Baby (Teenager) Out with the Bath Water


A recent sociological study suggests that there is a significant relationship between practicing Christian parents (parents who have a regular prayer/scripture/faith conversations routine at home, attend worship services, volunteer, etc) and the faith development of their teenage sons/daughters.

The study suggests that one of the reasons why parents and the church in general do not capitalize on this correlation is because of a worldview that says our faith should be a private matter. And yet, in other realms of life such as sports, music, competitions, choosing a college, etc. (as if faith can be separate from life!) parents tend to take a more active role in influencing their teenagers. As a society, we have bought into a mindset that encourages individuals to approach faith in a private way. How many times have you heard someone say, "That's between you and God."?

One of the sacrifices of buying into this privatised approach to faith is that it encourages a very generic understanding of the Christian faith since teenagers are often cut off from the faith of their parents as well as the church's ministry and teaching on the particularities of the Christian faith. My sense is that young people get bored with an approach to faith that waters everything down.

The good news of this recent study is that parents can continue to have a significant role in the faith development of their children, especially during those critical teen years. In other words, it's wise to not throw the baby, I mean our teens, out with the bath water.

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