What Young People Think About the Bible

Great question. I have worked with young people for over 25 years. There are a few things that I find.

1. They are waiting for those that have gone before to tell them/show them how they made it. I am sad to say that too many older believers are not allowing themselves to be transparent before the younger generations. They present this “holy, never done anything wrong” face and it can be disheartening to others that are seeking to understand how to do this life in God’s way.

2. They want to find their own way. We become to focused on applying our traditions that we forget our traditions resulted out of our ability to find our own way. We need to allow our young people the freedom to learn how to worship God and we the older generations need to be there to help guide but also realize that God’s Spirit did not stop giving the ability to discern with previous generations.

3. The older, seasoned believers need to be encouragers of our youth. I find it a pleasure to have been given the opportunity to encourage young people. I tell the truth, but I do not condemn. I am required by God to teach His standard and then I pray those listening follow. I am also aware that they will not follow or care what I say, if I do not first show that I love and care for them.

Finally, if we are to see God’s Spirit move in this generation we must show forth the anointing power of God. Too many of our young people are dealing with some serious situations. Some are dealing with abuse, homelessness, hopelessness and so much more. If we want their lives to be changed, we must show up in the power of God and allow Him to do the work. Just one humble servants belief.

This would be discouraging if I didn’t think that times like this are when God seems to like to show up, so to speak, and make things right. I used to be a ‘youth worker’ so I saw what was going on, what I was participating in with teenagers. I think some of what we did was good and some was lacking.

As far as the good stuff – building relationships and letting them know we cared. That is important and we did that. We tried to teach them to worship, but I think since we didn’t spend time teaching God’s attributes, they didn’t really get past a feel good experience.

It seemed like it was pizza and games and worship and moralistic teaching that says to do this and not that because it’s better for you and will keep you on good terms with God. There was too much emphasis on our efforts and not enough on the cross and what was accomplished there. It’s not just believing the Bible where we have lost this generation, it’s even knowing who God is and why we believe in Him. Of course, knowing those things starts with knowing the Bible is true. We didn’t have a systematic way to teach doctrine.

Even in the Sunday morning church services I noticed that I only heard the cross mentioned on Easter Sunday. The other sermons were all about how to have a happy family, a good marriage, manage our finances, succeed at life and on and on. Again, emphasizing our efforts, and not just plain teaching from a portion of scripture, parsing it out for us and telling us who wrote it to whom, what the hearers back then learned from it, how it fits in with the rest of the Bible and how it applies to us today.

I’m writing all this in past tense because God moved us out of that church to one that does have a system of teaching doctrine and does have sermons that are not topical, but are expository. We have learned a lot and grown spiritually. Sometimes, I’ll think that I wish God would have moved us when our oldest son was about 12 years old, but I have to remind myself that He knows what is best and He does things when the time is right.