Why Are Teens Becoming "Fake" Christians?

http://kendadean.com/almost-christian/

Response to a CNN.com article
Author: More teens becoming 'fake' Christians  By John Blake, CNN August 27, 2010 8:57 a.m. EDT

This CNN article speaks to a very real area of concern for Churches and parents of Christian youth. The reality in Kenda Creasy Dean’s research from Almost Christian showing that American Christian teens adhere to a “watered-down faith that portrays God as a ‘divine therapist’” is somewhat depressing however not difficult to believe. We all know that youth are filled with the capacity for great passion, and it is not a surprise that youth tend to find outlets for their passions outside of their faith. The church, that is the actual people that surround the youth with their community of faith, must display radical shows of faith in order to give youth examples of true discipleship and passionate lives for God. The trick here is that the adult leaders and parents must first have passionate faithful lives. You cannot teach what you don’t know.

My youth ministry professor from Harding Dr. Daniel Stockstill always preached, “What you win them with is what you win them to.” That being true, it is convicting that if Christian teens are ending up with a “fake” faith then the message being taught must be a false shell of true Christianity. The Church should be the first place young and old Christians turn to change the world. The Church’s mission is far greater than simply making Christians feel warm and fuzzy about our prospect of the afterlife. The church should always be a champion of heaven and profess bold confidence in looking forward to life eternal, yet not at the cost of boring, dull, apathetic, passion-less lives of faith that simply wait for heaven to come down at the end of time. Dean is saying that youth can’t hang on to that kind of faith very well. God’s kingdom is breaking in here and now and also will be realized fully when Christ returns. Christ left the church a responsibility to be his hands and feet everywhere we go. Christ called the church to do great things in the world through the power of God’s Holy Spirit. Youth need to see that Christian disciples take this call seriously and are living it our daily in the plain choices we make.

One problem churches will run into is when the teens begin asking hard faith questions. Do we soften difficult answers? Do we, as the article suggests, give youth cake answers when they are seeking meat and potatoes answers? Are Christian leaders and parents at peace enough with deep questions of faith that stir up tough questions of faith? The “gospel of niceness” is prevalent in churches because leaders and parents too often feel they must always have cut and dry answers to all of the mysteries of life. Faith is faith for a reason. Faith implies that we believe rather than scientifically know or prove. True faith cannot survive without passion. Parents and youth leaders must admit that we do not have every answer but we do have a passionate faith and follow God who does. Our Lord reigns on the throne of heaven and we must teach youth that a passionate Christian life with God provides a peace that passes all understanding.

Do churches encourage parents to get radical with their own faith? Youth ministry should coach parents to not only live passionately for Christ but make the next step by connecting the dots for their kids as to why they bother to perform radical acts inspired by their faith. I love how the article ends with the story of Anne Havard and her words confronting the doubts she had after her Father and close friend died from cancer.

She says God spoke the most to her when she felt alone – as Jesus must have felt on the cross. ‘When Jesus was on the cross crying out, ‘My God, why have you forsaken me?’ Jesus was part of God,’ she says. ‘Then God knows what it means to doubt. It’s OK to be in a storm, to be in a doubt,’ she says, ‘because God was there, too.”

Do churches allow youth leaders and parent the safety “to be in storm, to be in a doubt?” Church leaders and parents must work together to first live passionate lives as a result of a radical faith in Jesus then teach youth why we are crazy. Youth will follow and be impacted by passionate lives that seek to serve God before all else. Youth are magnetically drawn to authentic passionate people of faith. Most people, young and old alike, are seeking a power to stir them in the depths of their hearts and souls. However I believe that desire for passionate emotion is even more acute in youth. Church leaders and parents must first be followers that are passionate and then change will spread like a fire into the hearts of the youth.