“I’m done with the church.” “Church is irrelevant.” “The church is too judgmental.” “My faith doesn’t relate to my career or interests.” Statements like these, among many others, have become an all too familiar refrain in American society. Coupled with the reality of a dwindling interest in Christianity and the Church as a whole, is the reality that an alarming number of teens and young adults appear to be abandoning their faith altogether. “The National Study of Youth and Religion, which included in-depth interviews with at least 3,300 American teenagers between 13 and 17, found that most American teens who called themselves Christian were indifferent and inarticulate about their faith” (Blake, 2010). Part of this disinterest and ignorance …show more content…
When the hard questions come pouring in from our teens and young adults, too often they are left with no answers from the Church. The world seems to have the answers that the Church does not, and thus teens are being drawn away to the deception of relative truth. The world around us teaches that science and logic are the standards of truth, and that the Bible is outdated and irrelevant. Whether one is well-grounded in their faith or one who simply goes to church because their parents make them, every teen will be faced with these clashes of worldviews. Yet we must be careful not to confuse doubt and confusion with a lack of faith. After all, Thomas doubted the resurrection. Sarah and Abraham laughed at God’s promise. Job questioned God. But through their doubt and confusion, God revealed His Truth, strengthened their faith, and deepened their relationship with Him. Today when teens doubt and question Christianity, too often they are not provided with biblical answers and their hard questions remain unanswered. Not knowing where else to turn, the world seems like the best option. As Paul reminded the Ephesians, we wrestle not against flesh and blood. The battle for our minds is oftentimes lost when the Church fails to equip teens with a proper worldview. Teens will easily fall away when the …show more content…
Christian parents must take the command to teach their children seriously. Too often parents place the burden of biblical teaching on their youth leaders. And while the Church has their role to play, the parents must remain the primary spiritual leaders to their children. Grounding children in solid teaching, instilling the power of God’s word, and setting godly examples for them is one of the most important ways to help them attain strong relationships with Christ. The Church too, must be willing to come alongside parents and equip them for the task. The world around us is aggressively throwing controversial ideas at Christian teens. Particularly in the area of science, the world is constantly fighting against the claims of the Bible. “They are trying to convince young people that man’s naturalistic ideas about the past and their interpretation of the evidence disproves the Bible” (Ham and Foley, 2016). Instead of allowing biblical Truth to guide us, the Church too often makes exceptions to so-called scientific facts; stating that God could have caused the Big Bang, or the Flood may not have covered the earth, or perhaps creation could have taken place over millions of years. But ideas like these merely allow the world to reinterpret what the Bible teaches, they undermine the authority of Scripture and teens will continue to turn from the Bible and to the world. The Church must be committed to standing firm on
Science and faith are generally viewed as two topics that do not intermingle. However, Andy Crouch’s work, Delight in Creation, suggests that there is an approach to both faith and science that allows support of scientists in the church community. There is an approach that can regard science as a career that can reflect the nature of God.
...use of this despair, people who are shunned often feel intense depression and sometimes commit suicide. New found isolation often exacerbates the loss that a person experiences. The crisis that ensues can cause destructive behavior. The anger and resentment that a person may feel can be focused in positive or negative ways. Help from a community of people who have been through similar experiences can help an ex-member navigate their shame, anger, and obtain resources for survival. Many people who get involved with repressive religions do not know the ramifications of their decisions, never-the-less, public education is a major way to help people navigate these situations and to make healthy choices.
Chapter 3, The Bible, Creation, and Science by Robert Branson, PhD presented some interesting aspects of biblical interpretations relative to science. “With the rapid changes and developments that all areas of modern science produce, it is a general belief that if an informed person is made to choose between science or the Bible, science will be chosen.” (loc 647 Kindle, Branson) Dr. Branson tries and explain the three positions people take with biblical studies. The three positions examined by Dr. Branson are 1. Concordance, 2. Young-Earth Creati...
Evolution, otherwise sometimes called the “Devil’s hoax,” is a controversial topic that ignites a rather substantial reaction, particularly in Christian religious communities. Through the years, the heated debate over whether God or evolution is right has become a major breaking point for people of faith. Evolution suggests that God didn’t miraculously place humans in their present form on Earth and that the Bible isn’t the ultimate scientific truth. In this world, science is pitted against religious faith, suggesting neither can exist mutually with the other. The Lutheran church has taken it’s own stance in the controversy, making a muddy splash in a worldly puddle between the real dirt of science and the sanctified Holy waters of faith. In doing so, the church provides explanations of figurative language and contextual issues that show how the two are not one in the same and offer a world where science and faith can freely live side-by-side, happily ever after.
The development of scientific research brings the ability to give rise to new inquiries in its attempt to advance towards solutions which benefit all of the human community. If science puts forth a justified true belief, the church ought to be compelled to inspect and interpret the idea. This demands the church be critical of its own interpretations and conclusions in the face of new information. The church has the chance to reinterpret scripture in a new light, and the church is able to discern a value-judgment.
We cannot over simplify human behavior and the power of belief. Belief being the structure humans have created to understand one’s existence. Equally important, beliefs reassure a sense of balance and control in a world where we may feel powerless or helpless despite scientific developments. Nevertheless, science is the reality tested. Bultmann, points out blind acceptance of the New Testament’s written word would be irrational, and “a sacrifice of the intellect which could have only one result – a curious form of schizophrenia and insincerity” . Nevertheless, there remains a confusion that pervades modern ideas of the universe and our existence. Bultmann did acknowledge the truths a shallow enlightenment had failed to perceive are later rediscovered in ancient myths. Therefore, the task of dissecting the written words and structure of the New Testament is important for clarification and
The desire to be accepted is prevalent among youth today. In a world that is currently suffering from a famine of love that is intended to be given to today’s youth, more and more we see students that desire to be accepted, yet feel accepted by no one. Because of this we see them decide to reach out, and as they do they become accepted into a group that is not a good influence on them, or simply is wasting their time. Here we will look at what exactly the bible tells us in the issue of acceptance, and how it would look in the average youth ministry today. We will then look into how we will follow up with students past their fist visit and finally what utilizing the idea of acceptance to its full potential will do for a ministry.
LaRue, Jr, John C. "A Glimpse at Christian Teens | YourChurch.net." ChristianityToday.com | Magazines, News, Church Leadership & Bible Study. 31 Mar. 2009 .
In the past centuries scientific innovations have occupied people’s mind. People have been looking for answers about their existence with the help of science and the scientific method. But nothing has changed with people’s culture or behavior. However, something happened two thousand years ago that influenced and changed how some people perceive the world and self existence. It was the beginning of Christianity.
Teens reflect a culture all of their own within American society. The language that they speak, music that they listen to, and many aspects of their lives differ from that of past generations (Linehan 3). Therefore, many people of older generations tend to make judgments and assumptions about teenagers. These assumptions are typically based on the manner in which teenagers speak, dress, and present themselves. Because of these generalizations, faith of many teens is commonly overlooked. In a society where violence seems to be accepted and many teens are lost about who they are, faith can be the one bond interlinking a group of many. Despite occurrences such as the shootings April 20, 1999 at Columbine High School, and other negative aspects surrounding teenagers’ lives, there are still many young people involved and/or seeking a life with faith in Christ.
In today’s society, many topics create a very substantial amount of controversy between different groups of people. From abortion to the healthcare reform, there are countless topics of discussion. One of the major and ongoing controversial topics in the religious society is the Big Bang theory versus Creation. One side of the controversy is, predominately, the scientific community, with the other end obviously being the religious community.
It is the beliefs above that has shaped the theology of Christianity, bringing about the writing of many creeds that Christians still value today. It is what distinguishes the many denominations and unites them as well. With each passing generation it seems that Christianity is continually losing its popularity amongst the young people. Christianity is relevant in today’s society. Churches today should greatly value the historical aspect of Christianity as a religion. If certain values and principles of Christianity have withstood the test of time then this should reassure Christians of the validity of their beliefs. Young people today are interested in the theology of the bible they value the message of Jesus Christ. It is the “religious” aspects that many are fed up with. People are frustrate with the church because of the corruption that has occurred over time and its inauthenticity at times. To some it appears that the church is more concerned with appearances then actually fulfilling the work of God. This generation needs church leaders that embrace the historical roots of Christianity. And someone who isn’t afraid to be teach the raw and passionate message that is the gospel. Getting at the core of what it truly means to be a
Root, Andrew. "Talking About Sin with Young People." The Theological Turn in Youth Ministry. Andrew Root and Kenda Dean. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press Books, 2011. N. pag. Digital file.
Why anybody would want to go through life without knowing and understanding their purpose is beyond me, as is the case for hundreds of millions of people around the world. How is it that Christianity has become the largest religion in the world? It didn't draw upon the souls of millions because of its grandeur, but because of it appealed to something that billions around the wold struggle with. It proposed an answer to many of our lives problems. The church is open to any and all who are willing, and offer a place to discover the purpose in life, and develop a sense of self-worth and appreciation, which will then teach you how to live a fulfilling life.
Mastering the word comes by living like Christ and obeying his teachings. Living like Christ separates the carnal minded from the kingdom minded. Christ living separates the men from the boys or shall I say the children from the Sons. Discipleship, fellowship, spiritual growth, active listening, and obedience are some key factors for developing into the image of Sons of God, just to name a few. When I speak of obedience I do not speak from a place of legality, tradition, nor religion but a place of love and relationship. It was Jesus himself who said, “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15, 19). In other words, if you love me then obey me. It is the same way with parent and child; the easiest way for a child to show a parent their love