I came across an article written by the Barna Group and trends they are finding among youth.  The latest trends were published in June 2016.

“Barna researchers expect to see significant shifts in the coming five years, as the proportion of Elders in the general population shrinks and the proportion of Milleninals grows.. . . . . .Millennials (14%) are half as likely as Elders (29%) to believe the Bible is the actual Word of God and twice as likely to believe it is a man made book of teachings and advice (20%) vs. 11% among Elders.  Even in just a few years Barna has been conducting ‘State of the Bible interviews, the data is trending toward skepticism.  With each passing year, the percentage of Americans who believe the Bible is “just another book written by men” increases.  So to do the perceptions the Bible is actually harmful and people who live by its principles are religious extremists.”

There is a simplicity of design within the Lord’s church as set forth in Scripture, but somewhere along the way, the Lord’s church gave sway to unqualified elders and preachers.

In many places congregations have adopted denominational ideas and put them in place in their respective congregations.  These ideas have so permeated the Lord’s church, parents now shop for a complete menu of activities and programs for their children, and if the congregation does not have a menu of activities, they leave for a congregation which does.  Truth and sound doctrine are no longer a priority.  The statistics don’t lie.  The future of the Lord’s church rests squarely upon parent’s shoulders not the local youth minister.  You cannot pay one to do your job for you.  Qualified elders and the preacher can only reinforce Truth taught by parents in the home.  The statistics prove the job of rearing our children “in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” is not being done.

Our Lord designed the home for the rearing of children.  It is a grave responsibility given to parents, and the teaching never ends until they leave home.  Mom and dad are the  youth ministers, not a man hired to do the job, and in some research for this subject, I have never seen so many different ministers, and ministry programs within the Lord’s church.  And it makes me wonder if these programs are not designed not only for vanity and pride, but high paying jobs.  It is all too easy to get caught up in allowing others to do our work for us.  When we get back to the Bible and rearing our children according to His Word and following His Word ourselves, we will see a change in those statistics.  But not until then.  We know what we need to do, but are we willing to put forth the effort?  Eternity hangs in the balance.  We best get to it.

The above research conducted recently is alarming and according to Barna, this trend is expected to worsen over the next five years.  And as I do my own research within my community, I find the same.

“Train up a child in the way he should go:  and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”   Proverbs 22:6

“And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath:  but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”        Ephesians 6:4

“The rod and reproof give wisdom:  but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.”   Proverbs 29:15

“And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”   Deuteronomy 6:7

Each  year as I look at the new statistics, I am alarmed, for those who have gone on to their reward will no longer be around to stem this tide washing over the brotherhood.  At times I have the impression we don’t take God’s Word seriously, and have considered the Lord’s church just another social entity placed here for our entertainment and  amusement.  A full service organization to provide coffee, doughnuts, meals before services, and various and sundry ministries for every age group in the congregation.  All
designed for self-serving people.  Many, many activities, but the message of the Gospel is not getting through.  There is no getting around what is happening to our youth, and coupled with this are adults encouraging the same.  And we are accountable to Him for such.  We cannot say we didn’t know.

“But Naaman was wroth, and went away and said, Behold I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place and recover the leper.”     II Kings 5:11

“And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which He commanded them not.  And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord.  Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the Lord spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh Me, and before all the people I will be glorified.  And Aaron held his peace.”    Leviticus 10:1-3

“Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial;  they knew not the Lord.”     I Samuel 2:12

“But Samuel ministered before the Lord, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.   Moreover his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.”    I Samuel 2:18-19

In the preceding verses we find the instruction of children or the lack thereof.  God says distinctly what He means and He means what He says.  There are consequences to our behavior and the lack of taking our own responsibility toward our children God blessed us with.  May we have courage to follow His Word and teach His Word to our children,
making sure what is taught in our local congregations upholds and reinforces the Truth you teach as well.

“Children are not casual guests in our home.  They have been loaned to us temporarily for the purpose of loving them and instilling a foundation of values on which their future lives will be built.”      ~ Dobson

Eileen Light