5 Time-Tested Steps to Ignite Your Teen’s Faith
“With 75% of graduating high school students leaving the church, parents and youth influencers have an opportunity to do something different.”
By Clay Wyatt, Student Pastor, M.Div.
By Clay Wyatt, Student Pastor, M.Div.
You’ve probably heard the stat, “75% of graduating high school students leave the church.” It’s astounding. If our graduation rate from high school was only 25%, we would call a school board meeting urgently seeking to answer some of the underlying problems.
Sadly, this isn’t a new phenomenon. The American Church has been bleeding students for years. Some of them come back once they marry or start a family, but many don’t. We are seeing the fruits of one generation failing to pass down the faith of their forefathers to their children.
Now, the point of this article is not to throw anyone under the bus.
Teenagers are responsible for making their own decisions and many have chosen to walk away despite being faithfully taught the tenants of the faith. However, our research suggests that we need to take an old approach—an ancient one, that has stood the test of time.
Deuteronomy 6 is the compass that God gave Israel to preserve and vitalize their faith.
There are no elaborate ministry schemes or killer events. God simply told them to bind His Word to their bodies and homes. They were to integrate His Word into every aspect of their lives.
Perhaps, the evangelism and discipleship of teenagers’ rests more on families than youth ministries.
As a youth pastor, I can tell you that teenagers with strong Christian families tend to be far more invested in the church and mature in their faith than those who don’t have that. There will always be those who break the mold and exceed their family’s spiritual fervor, but it’s not the norm.
To clarify, church attendance is not the marker that we’re aiming for.
Too often, teenagers perceive the dissonance between what we say is important and what we believe is important. Church attendance without heartfelt devotion only reinforces apathy.
Does your student know by your life that Jesus is worthy to be worshipped Monday thru Saturday rather than solely on Sunday?
No one is perfect and we are all in need of grace. Parenting is hard venture and needs loads of wisdom and patience. Teenagers can form a hard exterior that doesn’t make your life any easier. That’s why they need to see the power of Holy Spirit working in you. So how do we actualize this? What do they need?
1) They need mealtime with you.
I know there are seasons where this can be hard to achieve, but a strong indicator of those who stayed connected to Christ after high school is that they ate dinner with their family 5 nights a week. This can be a sacred time where there is no agenda. There’s simply presence and genuine conversation. Oh, and no phones at the dinner table for everyone!
2) They need to serve with you within the context of a ministry.
Here, you model for them the importance of building God’s kingdom. You show them that there’s a place for them to work. They internalize the idea that they are a part of the Church, not just a spectator.
3) They need a spiritual experience in the home once a week.
Maybe that’s gathering the family together to work through a book of the Bible. It could be an intentional prayer time focused on praying for the lost. Whatever it may be, may your energy be directed to glorifying Jesus.
4) They need responsibility in ministry at an early age.
Similar to point 2, but this is branching out on their own. Often, students rise to the level of responsibility given to them. Youth ministries could benefit from this. The more they engage students to serve, the more buy in is created. Encourage your students to jump in where there is an opportunity.
5) They need a mentor other than you.
It’s true, you can tell them something 1,000 times and they won’t listen, but when another adult they respect says the same thing, they listen! I know, it’s maddening, but it’s just how it is. Obviously, this person needs to be safe and spiritually mature, but when they connect with this person, it can accelerate their spiritual growth.
You are in a for a fight, but it’s certainly one worth fighting for. When the devil attempts to distract and divide, it’s time to break out your “Not Today Satan!” mug and remind him that Jesus is in charge.
With the help of his Spirit, you can fulfill Deuteronomy 6 and make an eternal impact in your child’s life.
Points adopted from H.B. Charles
Clay Wyatt, M. Div. is a Student Pastor for Dayspring Baptist Church in Alabama. He and his wife Bailey, dog Winston and two cats Willow and Jasmine reside in Mobile and are a part of the Business and Professional Outreach, Intl. team as workshop leaders, and speakers.
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