Prom Season

I have no children, but many teens from our church will be attending proms.

I also attended a prom back in the day.

 

1. No.
2. Because I don't have any.

I'll come back and say something about our local proms, but not right now since it may distract from your basic question.

 

Salty, I would say that as a church we neither encourage nor discourage such an event, but leave it to the discretion of the parents. I personally hardly ever think about it, but if asked I would not encourage the idea or attendance.

Since others have not commented further, I'll go ahead and mention an extra problem with the direction of the prom in one of our local schools (beyond the "to dance or not to dance" factor).

 

Can someone explain was goes on at a prom? How does one get invited to the prom? What do the unpopular kids do? What are the expectations for a couple who goes to the prom? After the prom?
What kind of music is being played at the prom? What supervision is typically at the prom?

I've never been to a prom (attended Christian school grades 11-12). We homeschooled our kids so prom was never an issue in our home.

 

I was in charge of the security detail for many years for the prom in the city I worked.
Basically (just being honest) the rules were anything you can do with your clothes on is OK on the dance floor. No alcohol in the prom. Save the drinking and fornication for the party after the prom that will be on private property and free of supervision.

 

We take no position on proms. Why should we?

From time to time, the youth has dance events at church or at camp.

 

Socializing, sometimes food, and dancing.

Usually someone asks another (traditionally the guys take the initiative) or you go stag.

Whatever unpopular kids do about or at other social events.

It depends upon one's character. It you are a virtuous person, then virtuous things. If you are not, there's no telling.

Usually popular music that has a decent 4/4 beat.

Often school leadership, parents, teachers, school security and/or police officers.

I don't really care for them since I am rhythmically challenged. If I had been a competent dancer, then I would have enjoyed it more.

 

Proms are mostly filled with worldly sensual carnality. the music typically is all worldly sensual pop music. the dancing tends to be very sensual as well. Not sure why anyone virtuous would want to go to a high school prom. I suppose at prom there are some kids who go and hang out with their friends and avoid the dancing.

 

Because as parents, pastors, and leaders in general, our responsibility is to warn of potential danger. If someone cannot see the "potential" danger in prom, then they simply aren't paying attention. Having been a youth pastor for the first 20+ years of my ministry, I can tell you story after story where "good" young people made horrible decisions just because it was their senior prom.

Sure, there may be exceptions; but, over all, they are as Jordan described above.

Ezekiel 33:1 Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman:
3 If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people;
4 Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.
5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.
6 But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.

 

There is potential danger every day, everywhere.

We are training youth to be disciples of Jesus, ready to handle anything they come across.

Not any more danger than any other event.

Young people who have a faith that trains them to be righteous in all areas of their life are unlikely to make decisions outside of their character during temptation.

When a church moves from a "do not sin" focus, to a "have a transformed character so you don't want to sin" focus, we can trust people to live morally without the church leadership trying to make decisions for everyone regarding opportunities for temptation..

 

Exactly. That is why we must constantly warn.

What does that training include? Proverbs 1:10? Ephesians 5:11?

I took our teens to hear Handel's Messiah last Christmas. Prom was no more dangerous than Handel's Messiah?

I'm afraid David, a man after God's own heart, would disagree with that assessment. Samson would most certainly disagree with that. Solomon surely would as well.
Nehemiah 13:26 Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless EVEN HIM did outlandish women cause to sin.

You mistake warning with making decisions for others. There is a big difference. For what it's worth, the Bible has a pretty significant "do not sin" focus.

 

It is training in the spiritual disciplines: prayer, fasting, scripture memorization, silence, community, feasting, celebration, etc.

One can easily sin at a classical music concert. Sin begins in the mind.

Neither David nor Samson had the indwelling Holy Spirit. Moreover, both of their characters were severely compromised, especially in terms of their dealings with women. They treated women quite poorly and tended to be "on the make."

Perhaps I have misunderstood you. I had assumed that you were telling teens not to attend prom and to abide by a code of conduct designed to avoid every temptation of sin:

...Why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules: “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence. -- Colossians 2:20b-23​

Sure, but the secret to not sinning is NOT by merely exercising the will, but by training oneself in the ways and life of Christ in active discipleship to Him. The use of spiritual disciplines helps us cooperate with the grace of God to experience freedom from sin.