Little Women

• Jul. 13, 2006 - thinking about Christians being just like the world

I've been doing some thinking, lately.

You know all those studies saying that X% of kids from Christian homes turn away from Christ when they become adults?   Of course, that statistic bugs me.

But I'd never really thought before, what of those who remain IN the church?    These are the ones that we breathe a sigh of relief about--OK, that still leaves Y% who stick with their faith, right? However, these are the very kids about whom we wind up saying, "Christians are no different from non-believers, in their daily lives--what they watch, how often they divorce, etc."

It suddenly struck me that, not only are we losing a large percentage of our kids outright, we are also losing most of the rest, more subtly.   We have given over their training to the world, and are reaping worldly "Christians" as a result! In their thoughts and attitudes, they are reflecting the way they were brought up, and it really isn't surprising that they are acting just like the world. They were trained to it!

I've never been one to say everyone ought to school their kids my way. For the first several years I homeschooled, there were many books I refused to read, thinking they would be "too radical," and I didn't want to read ranting and raving. (I have, since, read many, and found that, while some do rant and rave, many have really good things to say, and are well and thoroughly researched. But I digress.)    I'm just trying to point out how far from my natural bent this type of blanket statement is.

I'm rethinking this, though. More and more, I'm having trouble seeing how we can let our kids deliberately be trained to these attitudes, that go against all we believe in. In some ways, it may already be "too late."   The parents of today are those who were already trained that way, in the 60s, 70s, and 80s, and they are already not living a godly life before their kids. They don't, by and large, even understand what we are talking about.

I hate to say it, but I'm just having trouble seeing any other choice, at least for the formative years. At some point, our kids will have to exit the greenhouse.   But until they are ready, we need to be sure they get training in real godliness, not in the values of the world.

• Jul. 13, 2006 - Yep!

Posted by ThreeLittleLadies

I'm right with ya. Preach it, sister! ;)

Permanent Link

• Jul. 14, 2006 - You are so right . . .

Posted by Anonymous

You and I were raised not to judge others for their choices , including their schooling choices. But when I look at the way the kids at our church dress, and the way they interact with their parents and the other young people, I too get very concerned. Even the children of "good parents" - the parents who really are active in the church themselves - don't make good choices in their dress or in their attitudes. I fear for these kids; likely most of them will stay in the church, but will they really be dedicated to Christ? And will they raise their own children to be wholly His?

All too often, it seems to me, even good, dedicated Christian parents are making choices that are easier for them rather than those that will result in their kids' following Jesus more closely. How many times have I said, in a church setting even, "I homeschool my kids," only to have people say, "Oh, I could never do that! I have trouble just getting them to do their homework!" What a cop-out! If you can't get your kids to do their homework, how on earth will you ever persuade them to follow Jesus with their whole hearts, which is much harder?

Thanks for the good insights.

D.

Permanent Link

• Jul. 15, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by My4LittleWomen

One additional thing, here. The parents we are talking about are the ones most of these statistics have come from. Thus, what we are thinking of as "good Christian parents" are the same ones Barna and others are saying are "no different from the world." The PARENTS have already adopted the world's ideas, so they have little left to pass on to their kids. They have the form and the words, but not the godly thinking patterns. We can see that we are losing the kids. What we can't see is that we already lost the parents, due to the secular training they themselves had. (Although, I must say, I also see this in Christian parents who attended "Christian" schools. I'll have to think about that part, a bit more.)

Permanent Link