Saturday, 28 August 2010
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Are Christian Teenagers Practicing a "Fake" Faith?
Are you a Christian teenager? If you are, according to a recent CNN article, there's a good chance your're following a “mutant” Christianity that features a “watered-down faith” with a God “whose chief goal is to boost people's self-esteem.”The article comes on the coattails of the recently released book Almost Christian, by Kenda Creasy Dean. Dean was inspired to write her book after interviewing Christian teenagers for a controversial research study. What she discovered, the article says, is that “most American teens who called themselves Christian were indifferent and inarticulate about their faith.”
Dean cites a number of reasons for this Christian apathy, focusing mostly on the faults of adults. “If teenagers lack an articulate faith, it may be because the faith we show them is too spineless to merit much in the way of conversation,” Dean writes.
I have to say, I kind of agree.
When I was in high school, I found myself in the midst of a spiritual crisis. I had always had questions about my faith, and while my parents did a great job of raising me in a Catholic home, I found myself wondering more and more if I only believed because that's what I was told to do.
I became friends with a bunch of youth group kids and eventually began attending their youth service. At first, I was like a spiritual sponge. Even today, I look back on those first few months of youth group as some of the most challenging and most spiritually growing times of my life. I dove head-first into sermons, devotionals and scripture, but before long, I got bored.
Youth group had always been about being flashy and enticing. The day we got yelled at for playing “Jesus Freak” too loud during youth group was a day we secretly celebrated. We held concerts and parties after football games, and we lived to draw crowds. I had been one of those drawn in by the initial splendor and spectacle, but I found myself wanting more. I knew the faith of Christianity, but I still didn't know how to live it, and that fact bothered me.
Over time, the youth group dwindled. Many of my best friends – the very people who had encouraged me to attend in the first place – stopped coming around. I felt a distance between myself and them. They had convinced me of my faith, but I saw many of them abandoning it.
In the end, I got out. I moved to college and attended a great church that did challenge me, did provide the spiritual guidance I desired, and did teach me about the spiritual disciplines that have sustained my faith into adulthood, but I wonder what would have been different if I hadn't had that opportunity.
I don't know if this Christian apathy I saw and felt is the same thing Dean writes about in her book, but I have to say, I saw the same symptoms she describes. Perhaps my experience is not an isolated incident; perhaps we misunderstand what it means to teach teenagers. Maybe we put too much emphasis on the being relevant and edgy part of ministry and forget to teach kids how to be Christians.
Did you or do you attend youth group in high school? Or are you involved in youth ministry? What has your experience been? Do you see many people getting bored and leaving the faith? What could we do differently to keep kids involved in Christianity?
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Comments (22)
In my experience with youth groups and congregations that emphasize "church-growth methods" in general, this is true. If anything, CNN lacks the theological acumen to really make their point (and their analysis for how parents and churches can correct their mistakes is hopelessly naive).
That said, I have known youth pastors and middle- and high-school students who display every bit of the theological seriousness of the article's example kid (even without quoting Karl Barth).There was a short time when I was definitely attracted to other things outside the Church, but once I began to learn about my Catholic faith, especially the Eucharist...well there was just no turning away from Him then! Love builds on knowledge after all, and once I began to know Him and understand things a bit better, I could help but grow in love for Him and His Church and now I am quite literally in over my head and LOVING it.
I attended maybe one or two youth services my freshmen year of high school, probably around 20 my sophomore year, next to 0 my junior year (I picked it back up at the end) and now it's my senior year and I'm going every weekend.
The kids that I'm with - I've never heard complaints of boredom or any considerations of leaving their faith. They're great. Maybe I'm just blessed for the awesome youth program at my church, but everything's awesome.
No matter how much we preach our traditional beliefs there is always somebody who can tear that to pieces. I believe the only thing we can do is put our children in God's hands. We can do our best and guide them as best we can, but I believe prayer works better than anything our wisdom can do. Put all things in God's hands. God bless
I know what you mean. I've tried a lot of youth groups, and the kids are either there because they have to be, they want to make themselves seem great, or they are their for the party. It's really discouraging when I go this great youth service and the kids are super-entusiastic until we get to the message.
I'm in a youth group now, serving as a student leader, and God's doing great things in our church basement. Praise Him.
I think kids are much more spiritually aware. No offense just because you go to church doesn't make you a "christian". trust my grandfather went every sunday and was a wellknown fact there a reason my grandmother spent alot of time in and out of a hospital. So I would argue the opposite is true just because you don't go to church doesn't mean you don't have faith. "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray
standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men.
I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full." Majority of my friends and I have not stepped into a church in about a year but most of us regularly read the bible and discuss values and human worth. Isn't that much more important?
Well, I'm a Christian teenager located outside of North America, and I've found that of the visiting ministers who came to our church, those who came from overseas preached for us teenagers gave us a very watered-down and almost condescending sermon-- almost too basic, repeating the trite "ask for the Holy Spirit during worship! It's the only way you'll get to know Him"-- that didn't measure up to what I was used to hearing from our local ministers. Of our ministers, one particularly knows how to use relevant teenage topics to grab our attention and then skillfully connect it to the deeper Christian topics in a refreshing, logical yet humorous way.
I don't think the ministers should underestimate teenagers and try to water down sermons to what they think is the teenage level. They should preach in earnest, and encourage a sort of fellowship.
It also helps that our choir is very gung-ho and social.
I don't think it's all bad. I mean, the activities you describe are the ones that teenagers subscribe to. They're the ones that draw people.
And it's not the fault of anyone but the person. Or maybe the timing's off.
Who knows? Maybe those who walked away from the church did so because they were wanting more? Some kind of more maturity?
If you are on the path to pursuing Christ, no part of it is fake, because all of it is growth. We have to start out with the immature things to move to the more mature activities.
I went to a christian school all the way through high school... I think they're toxic in that they breed this kind of "faith" that is completely delusional and shallow. And yes, I am pretty sure a large percentage of teenage christians are not practicing a real faith. Some are, but some definitely are not.
Professor Dean took issue with the way CNN presented some of her arguments and findings. You should read her response:
http://kendadean.com/307/cnn-response/
I think many people made the correct point that everything mentioned in the article can apply to just as many adults as teens. Singling out teens is just a way to get people to read an article (or a book). Will a single Christian actually do anything about all the supposed problems addressed in her book? I am certain the answer is no.
I had a similar experience, but when I left youth group, I also pretty much left my faith behind too. Sometimes I'll try to get back into the Church, but the people push me away. It's not that I don't believe in God, it's just too hard to deal with the people who strongly profess their personal beliefs on others.
I read something similar somewhere, someone saying that young Christians today believe that God "wants you to be happy & do good" which is nice but isn't Christian.
I disagree.
I think many young people are disillusioned with the dogmatic churches, as I am; I am personally struggling to find a church I can fit with and commit to. The older generation is fine with the "take what you want and leave the rest" approach to church, such as the umpteen million Catholics who use birth control, but our generation finds that too insincere. I think that we are being cautious in aligning ourselves with institutions that profess & act in ways that we find reprehensible.
It's the heart of the message that is important. If you love God, believe Christ is his son who came to save us, and truly love your neighbor, then you are a good Christian in my book.
Professor Dean posted again, she has big issues with the use of the word "fake" by CNN, as she should have. I feel bad that, as is so typical, her work and book was written about in the media and they pretty much missed her entire point. Because the media doesn't understand Christianity.
http://kendadean.com/318/almost-christian/
I had a friend like that in high school. Actually, I knew a lot of people like that in high school, but this one girl really stands out to me. She was "Wiccan" for about a month because I and another friend are, and so it was cool, and besides, when she and another girl were in 5th grade, they had a "magic rock" so they were "natural" witches. When she realized she'd be popular if she was Christian, she jumped at the chance. Starting going to youth group, church, sitting with them at lunch, and preaching at us without understanding what she was saying. I corrected her a number of times on not only her bizarre interpretations, but outright misquotes of the Bible. She and a group of popular kids made a big deal about gathering around one of the lunch tables EVERY day to pray before they ate. Of the 30 kids that did it, probably 3 were sincere, and actually prayed before every meal.
Now I'm in college, and I see the same thing. I've been to church and 2 different Bible studies with friends (one Bible study aimed at college students, and the other a regular church group). Both strike me as really weird. The college church's pastor is "hip" and wears jeans and a t-shirt when he preaches. He actually described Jesus as "blonde hair and blue eyes" and was serious. Both groups are, like many public Christians, super serious about parts of the Bible, while they completely ignore other parts. For example, the non-college one believes adamantly that women should not minister, but the women wear make-up and dress, while modestly, in a way that clearly shows that they're women. Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the Bible say (and I'm paraphrasing because I don't have a Bible handy) not to adorn oneself with gold or plait your hair and things like that?
Sorry, but I take the "Mormon Envy" section as a point of pride :)
I don't even know anymore.. Supposedly I was being raised a Christian, and gradually it faded away.. i mean my family hasn't gone to church in years and that's ok with my because I was never comfortable with it [Christianity] in the first place. It just never 'clicked' for me.
Just yesterday I was at my friend's house and religion came up; I did the wrong thing by saying I don't really have a religion anymore and her mom was like *gasp*, "you're such a good girl, i'd hate to see you go to Jahannam (or Hell)!" "Why don't you become Muslim" basically. o.o
I just don't think religion is for me. I would rather drop it and feel at ease than feel fake and on edge by pretending to believe but not truly believing. Too bad I was already confirmed..
I think i am content as long as I treat other people nicely and act wisely/ kindly. Theism confuses me, and I can't grasp it, so I leave it as that. I think young people should just be taught good morals, regardless of religion, and let them choose whatever. Not to be forced into it by parents because of their religious parents or whatever societal pressures.
Lalala, I don't know. Besides, practically everything is a sin.. (and it's not like these young Christian people stay perfectly sinless anyway.. nor most people who call themselves Christian.. they might believe in some god and fear him but do they have love and consideration for their fellow human? that's what really matters.) and so thusly how can anyone possibly keep with these religions?!
*dunno*
I go to a campus ministry here at university. I may be optimistic, but I'd say we don't have much of a problem with a fake faith. We have small numbers, but the members we do have are very dedicated.
The church feeds kids a watered-down version, because honestly that's all that kids can handle at that point in their lives. When they start getting bored, it's time for them to seek out maturity on their own. If they can't do that, then they won't be prepared to defend their faith. But it's not the church's job to spoon-feed the masses their daily dose of Scripture and feel-good words. That's not what the faith is about.
Yeah. I've definitely noticed that trend.
Personally, I've never been able to mesh in any of the youth groups I went to.
Maybe I just went to the wrong ones, but they were all either super corny or fire-and-brimstone.
My church had a youth group leader I loved, but she moved, so it kind of died.
I'm pretty sure this doesn't only exist with teenagers or just with Christianity.
Any widespread belief system is going to have some adherents who get pulled in because of other factors.
Yeah, I'm actually 17, and just got baptized a little over 7 months ago. At my church you have to study to be baptized, to teach you who God is and how to be a disciple. The church I go to is AMAZING. I went to another church before this one, and it was also flashy, but shallow. No one ONCE opened a bible with me or just talked to me about God, or my faith. Most of them didn't even bother to remember my name. But now I go to a church where everyone helps everyone get to heaven, and spread the word. I have a d-group almost weekly, go to church twice a week, am thoroughly involved in other people bible studies (the same ones I had before getting baptized), and meet with my discipler as often as possible. Right now we're starting a bible talk at my school. I'm a senior, and there is one other senior in my youth group. She is also my best friend. It is awesome walking with God, and I'm glad that I found a church that preaches the truth.
I definitely believe that its been "watered down". What happened to fearing God and respecting him? I had a roommate once that said God wanted her to have fun in life, so its okay to drink and have sex with random people as much as she wants, and to party all the time. Umm...pretty sure thats not how its supposed to work. The thing is...in America it HAS to be watered down, or we are sending black people, gay people, people of other religions, etc all to hell and saying they are satans advocates and need to repent for their sins. But I'm pretty sure most of us, with the exception of those people still living in the mindset that there is only one way and thats their way, agree that we need to be loving, accepting, and tolerating of other views.