I've been reading this amazing book by Dr. Tim Kimmel entitled Why Christian Kids Rebel. I have to say it has been quite enlightening. There are people in my life that I repeatedly go before the throne of God petitioning on their behalf. There are people I went to Christian school with who have a chosen a very different life for themselves- and turned their backs on all things Christian.
Let me start from the beginning.... this book caught my eye because of the very real stage that me and my 3 siblings have gone through/are going through known as rebellion. The author outlines the various definitions and actions of rebellion. Perhaps one of the points that sticks out the most to me is how many parents think that by putting their children in a Christian school and making sure their child is going to church and involved in all of the youth group activities- they will have a clearcut course in place to make them become a Christian who is ready to step out and do anything for God. The reality is that when a person is constantly being hedged into their Christian worlds, the chance for complacency and mediocre Christianity is almost guaranteed...rebeliion. Here's what the author says in regards to youth who come from Christian homes and go to Christian school...
"Part of the problem lies with human nature. When you are in an environment five days a week that starts each class with prayer, where you have assigned reading in the Bible, where you take regular tests on Bible knowledge, where your other classes (like math, science, and history) drop biblical insights into the curriculum, and on top of this, where just about every kid you go to school with claims to be a Christian, it's real easy to overdose on all the "Christianity stuff". There's no "heavy-lifting" as far as appropriating what is being learned. The environment is tailor-made to make you look, act, and talk like a Christian." He goes on- "Unfortunately, by the time these kids get to Sunday school, they're on biblical overload. Sunday school or youth group is just a rerun of what they've been getting all week long. Many are simply tired of hearing about it." p. 117 We are in need of a system that legitimately puts faith to the test!
Thankfully, God showed me this important distinction between personal spiritual growth and Bible classwork when I was in high school. I couldn't understand why so many of my Christian friends decided to make some different and sinful lifestyle choices our sophomore year of h.s. I don't understand why, but by God's grace many of the things I was learning and memorizing had turned into something genuine for me. I'm certainly not saying that I'm perfect--because believe me- I'm NOT! I still struggle with rebellion toward authority- among other things. God revealed to me how fortunate I was when I got to Christian college and I realized many people were allowing Bible class to be the substitute for their personal time with the Lord. I struggled with complacency for a long time as well...but I still think God gave me the advantage of knowing this would be a battle.
As far as loved ones who are still floundering in their Christianity, perhaps this is exactly where God wants him/her to be. He/She just needs to be squeezed. Sometimes it takes the hard lessons and consequences of our sin to see the need and the difference that a passionate relationship with Christ can foster! And for the Christian kids who take the "broad road", it will turn all they've learned from "academics to action, from knowledge to wisdom, and from lessons to love." p. 133
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