Losing our youth

[Salty]

Just read an article from the AP.

Nathalie left her Baptist faith - became an atheist and then floated around.

She stated that the conservative views on immigration, gender among other things made her feel unwelcome.

So what are our churches doing or not doing that our teens are leaving the faith.

So, if you were the pastor or youth director of Nathalie - and she mentioned that she may leave the church
what would you do, say, reccomend, ect...

Faith affiliation? 29% say ‘none’

 

[xlsdraw]

It will be sorted out in the Great Tribulation. There shall be only two choices.

And the only way to reach anyone is with the Truth. That hasn't changed.

 

[AustinC]

Salty did we have our kids tied up?

I have reminded my children that God has Sovereignly chosen them...and me for this moment, to give us daily graces to accomplish the work he has ordained for us. This is the best time to be alive because God is at work and he's called us to join the work. How cool is that!

 

[Salty]

It will be sorted out in the Great Tribulation. There shall be only two choices.

And the only way to reach anyone is with the Truth. That hasn't changed.

What does the Trib have to do with training our children now?

 

[Two Wings]

What does the Trib have to do with training our children now?

Perhaps the inference is that the Trib is immanent .. may be even in progress (the first 3.5) ...

The goats and sheep are about to have the final sort.

 

[Marooncat79]

Churches have youth grouped kids right outta church

they have nothing to keep them in church since they never bonded with adult members

 

[Reynolds]

Just read an article from the AP.

Nathalie left her Baptist faith - became an atheist and then floated around.

She stated that the conservative views on immigration, gender among other things made her feel unwelcome.

So what are our churches doing or not doing that our teens are leaving the faith.

So, if you were the pastor or youth director of Nathalie - and she mentioned that she may leave the church
what would you do, say, reccomend, ect...

Faith affiliation? 29% say ‘none’

She is not well grounded in Scripture and she now has boo boos On her feelings. Parents probably Democrats.

 

[kyredneck]

Perhaps the inference is that the Trib is immanent .. may be even in progress (the first 3.5) ...

The goats and sheep are about to have the final sort.

...it's soooo exciting to be living in the last days and make prophecies such as this...right?

 

[Two Wings]

...it's soooo exciting to be living in the last days and make prophecies such as this...right?

Making prophecy?

no.

applying it? As best as I know.

thanks. The effort to ridicule is noted. Congrats. You got noticed. Isn't that exciting?

 

[xlsdraw]

2 Thessalonians 2:7-12

7) For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
8) And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9) Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10) And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in Them That Perish; Because They Received Not the Love of the Truth, that they might be Saved.
11) And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12) That they All might be damned who Believed Not the Truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Our commission is to present the Truth.

This youth that Salty highlighted, "self identifies" as Queer. She rejects the Truth. She is not seeking to repent. She is seeking acceptance of the Sin that she embraces. She is seeking a place that welcomes her Sin.

 

[Van]

Yes, Salty, it is absolutely heart-breaking when a loved one rejects Christ. Calvinists made up a doctrine whereby it was God's sovereign choice, so we are not to blame for ineffective ministry as ambassadors of Christ with the message of "be reconciled" for the lost. Jesus taught that a ministry that would be effective for some, would not bring others into our fellowship. So while, no doubt, our ministry could be improved, both in what we teach and how we live our lives, that would still not necessarily result in our loved ones embracing Christ.

In public discussion and in our schools funded by government, godlessness is taught and tolerated. Those experiencing "peer pressure" do not want to be ostracized because biblical views are not PC. Recall the high school girl when asked if she was a christian, and she said yes, then the atheist boy shot and killed her.

The bible teaches the lost are "drawn" by the gospel, by Jesus being seen as dying on the cross for them. The message of love is all we have, and we must find examples of that sacrificial love impacting the lives of the lost.

 

[Scarlett O.]

"Nathalie" CAN be saved. She's not a lost cause. If a young person leaves the church after youth group - it doesn't make them the hopeless case of the century and the automatic sinner bound for hell.

Perhaps.......

• ......she was in a church that did not preach Jesus and him crucified nearly as much as they preached and taught digust at gay people, Democrats, and those who drink alcohol. And also preaching that these DESERVE no hope.
• ......she was led by a youth director who did not know his spiritual head from a hole in the ground.
• ......she was raised by parents who believed once you got dunked in the baptistry - you were good to go.
• ......she was never saved to begin with and was "led" by all the social media, including television, that SUPPORTS these sins she supports.

Nonetheless, this girl CAN be saved and made spiritually whole.

Let's don't add this girl and all the multi-thousands of other young people who leave the church at age 18 to the all the rest of the "sinners" we love to bash and point our fingers at and kick while they are spiritually down.

 

[Salty]

Scarlet -
very good post!
I would mention that the article did state her church was very conservative

Excellent post about the parents.
Sometimes we expect the church to raise our children - that is NOT Gods way.

I think youth programs can be great - but - lets not put all our eggs in one basket

As far as being saved - could be she just repeated a few words - then got wet in the "room" just behind the pulpit.

Lets pray for "Nathalie" (which is her real name)

 

[Van]

I was surprised when a Calvinist misused the "funny" emoticon to undercut post #11. Then I saw that if the folks in this or that town had seen the miracles, they would have repented, strikes at the heart of the false doctrine of Calvinism. If only those chosen before creation are enabled to repent, how would seeing miracles cause a change. It would not. Therefore the Calvinist bogus doctrine is once again shown by scripture to be hogwash.

 

[JonC]

Our church has a youth ministry. On Sunday mornings the youth has a study class, they are a part of our worship service, and they meet throughout the week. The youth ministry focuses on discipleship, but also on being a member of the church and leadership development. Each youth member is paired up with a mentor from the congregation who meets with them at least once a week.

The key to keeping our youth is to recognize members have a responsibility and role in the congregation rather than just in a youth group.

Our youth ministry prepares the youth to be active adult members and take on active roles in the church as a whole.

Once they graduate high school they continue in a post-high school ministry, but are not allowed to continue as a member of the youth group.

 

[AustinC]

Just read an article from the AP.

Nathalie left her Baptist faith - became an atheist and then floated around.

She stated that the conservative views on immigration, gender among other things made her feel unwelcome.

So what are our churches doing or not doing that our teens are leaving the faith.

So, if you were the pastor or youth director of Nathalie - and she mentioned that she may leave the church
what would you do, say, reccomend, ect...

Faith affiliation? 29% say ‘none’

This OP only speaks to one person who, as it turns out, was always in rebellion against God, but just hiding her rebellion.
The second sentence reveals cultural relativism whereby feelings determine truth.
The majority of churches have fed into this cultural relativism as they think humans choose God via free-will and thus if they provide enough entertainment and emotional appeal to the Christian faith...people will choose God rather than other gods. The failed philosophy of free-will leads to people in the church bouncing back and forth with the tides of the culture. People are drifting and no one in the church is telling them to wake up and anchor up.
Hebrews 2:1-4
So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished. So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak? And God confirmed the message by giving signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit whenever he chose.

 

[Scarlett O.]

Scarlet -
very good post!
I would mention that the article did state her church was very conservative

Excellent post about the parents.
Sometimes we expect the church to raise our children - that is NOT Gods way.

I think youth programs can be great - but - lets not put all our eggs in one basket

As far as being saved - could be she just repeated a few words - then got wet in the "room" just behind the pulpit.

Lets pray for "Nathalie" (which is her real name)

I'll be praying for her.

 

[xlsdraw]

"Nathalie" CAN be saved. She's not a lost cause. If a young person leaves the church after youth group - it doesn't make them the hopeless case of the century and the automatic sinner bound for hell.

Perhaps.......

• ......she was in a church that did not preach Jesus and him crucified nearly as much as they preached and taught digust at gay people, Democrats, and those who drink alcohol. And also preaching that these DESERVE no hope.
• ......she was led by a youth director who did not know his spiritual head from a hole in the ground.
• ......she was raised by parents who believed once you got dunked in the baptistry - you were good to go.
• ......she was never saved to begin with and was "led" by all the social media, including television, that SUPPORTS these sins she supports.

Nonetheless, this girl CAN be saved and made spiritually whole.

Let's don't add this girl and all the multi-thousands of other young people who leave the church at age 18 to the all the rest of the "sinners" we love to bash and point our fingers at and kick while they are spiritually down.

Or Perhaps she just rejects/despises the Truth and loves and promotes her Sin.

Do you think that the Holy Spirit encouraged her to be the feature of a secular AP hit job on the Church?

Perhaps she may be exactly what the scriptures I posted describe.

The scriptures are rightfully unapologetic, and so must be the presentation of the scriptures. The Truth.

Shame on this Laodicean generation of cowards that will not boldly preach the whole council of God.

 

[Keith Mullins]

This OP only speaks to one person who, as it turns out, was always in rebellion against God, but just hiding her rebellion.
The second sentence reveals cultural relativism whereby feelings determine truth.
The majority of churches have fed into this cultural relativism as they think humans choose God via free-will and thus if they provide enough entertainment and emotional appeal to the Christian faith...people will choose God rather than other gods. The failed philosophy of free-will leads to people in the church bouncing back and forth with the tides of the culture. People are drifting and no one in the church is telling them to wake up and anchor up.
Hebrews 2:1-4
So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished. So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak? And God confirmed the message by giving signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit whenever he chose.

This post confuses me. If there is no free will, what difference does it make if they "bounce" back and forth or never wake up? Evidently they are not elect and follow false doctrines.

 

[agedman]

As others have stated she is being drawn away, not merely drifting.

The half brother of our Lord, James, states:

14But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed. 15Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. 16Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.​