Their Best Hope

Almost everyone cringes. It’s the part of the documentary where we want to look away. Some of us do. The predator closes in on the herd. He singles out his victim. We all know the brutal truth. He is going after the young or the weak.

The same truth is even more brutal when you realize how true it is for souls. Those who are young are easily susceptible to the predatory nature of sin. Those who are weak also end up being the equivalent of scraps on the Serengeti. When it comes to spiritual survival, there’s only one thing worse than being young or weak.

When you’re both.

It’s no wonder particular consideration is given to young people in the church. Throughout the nation a young man or woman typically has access to a youth group. They can go to youth rallies or youth camps, or Christian schools.

Yet, statistics continue to defy these concentrated efforts. The percentages continue to be grim. When the time comes for them to stand up to the world on their own, the great majority of young souls become easy prey.

They stop going to church. At best, they continue to attend for the sake of shallow loyalty to family.  But as far as how they live their daily life, there is no substantial difference between them and someone in the world. They are young, they are weak, and they are lost.

During deliberations over what needs to be done, blame often falls at the feet of the institutions. If youth groups and youth camps and Christian schools were doing their job, it seems the statistics would be a lot more optimistic. What good does it do to involve our sons and daughters in these things, if the end result is no better than those who are not taking advantage of these programs?

There is a common belief, openly proclaimed or quietly murmured. The church let me down. The preacher dropped the ball. The youth group didn’t make my children spiritual. The youth director didn’t come through. The Christian school failed to make my son and daughter godly.

The thing is, even though this might be the expectation of many parents, this is nowhere near the expectation of God. There are zero scriptures holding youth groups responsible for the spiritual development of children. There is the same amount of scriptures placing this accountability at the feet of preachers, youth directors, or Christian schools.

However, there are more than a few scriptures holding parents responsible. Early in the game, God made it clear that a family is key to making sure the home thrives on His words. “You shall teach them to your sons, talking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates” (Deuteronomy 13:19-20). The spiritual sustenance for every child should first be found in the home.

As the leaders of this home, fathers are the most accountable, especially since they are a living metaphor of both Jesus and God (Ephesians 5:23; Hebrews 12:9). This very same expectation plays into whether or not these men are qualified to lead the church as elders (I Timothy 3:4). When we search for glitches in the system, we are misguided if we put programs and institutions at the top of the list.

It would be foolish to ignore the fact that there are definitely endeavors designed for young people which undermine their spirituality. Some of the greatest damage done is comes through youth-centered activities and institutions. Just because it carries the label Christian and just because it is filled with sincerity—this doesn’t mean these are beneficial to anyone’s salvation. Many of them are more focused on entertaining people than pleasing God.

Regardless, behind all of this is a notorious expectation usually left unspoken for the most part. But we should go ahead and speak it. Parents, who have reduced their children’s spiritual nourishment to a weekly church-outing, will turn with sincere desperation to the nearest youth program with the hope that it will transform their sons and daughters into solid Christians—in essence saying, “I broke me kid. Fix him” When the program does not bring about the changes they hoped for, in the minds of many parents, it is the institution that has failed.

For a very long time we have misunderstood the true nature of youth-centered endeavors. They can certainly be a profound help, especially for young people who come from families without spiritual leadership or even encouragement. But with very little exception, these institutions are most effective at supporting the primary effort established in the home—whether it be efforts made by the parents or even the effort of the individual young person who strives to spiritually thrive in spite of their family.

Without getting bogged down in various dysfunctional situations, the basic truth is pretty straightforward. A family is meant to be the primary source of spiritual growth. There’s a big difference between using youth endeavors to supplement this effort and simply outsourcing the responsibility.

If we applied the same reasoning to God’s plan of salvation—using percentages to measure effectiveness—we would have to assume something is wrong with this system as well. “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:14). Because the great majority of souls will reject salvation, our perception can be severely distorted if we measure success by numbers.

Rec centers have all kinds of exercise machines and programs which can transform just about any relatively healthy person into a healthier person. But we know these places have less than impressive success rates.

A rec center can certainly be a huge benefit to anyone serious about making changes. If you eat well and get plenty of sleep and avoid habits that damage your body and then visit the rec center, it can help you become physically fit. But if you eat junk food, stay up late, and allow unhealthy indulgences, even regular visits to the rec center are hardly beneficial. If anything, putting on sweats and showing up with everyone else on their treadmills is mostly a sham.

There are many “rec centers” available to young people today. They can help make all the difference. But the statistics are primarily determined by what happens at home and ultimately in the heart of each individual.

Psalm 119 provides our key question and our key answer. “How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your Word (Psalm 119:9). There are many great efforts being made to help young men and women, but their best hope is best found at home. For any soul in this world that is what can make all the difference in the world.