I recently began reading a book called, "Questions to All Your Answers; The Journey From Folk Religion to Examined Faith." The book was written by Dr. Roger Olson, one of my seminary professors. The more I thought about reading this book, the more I thought about teenagers today. Our Ministry Plan (which is available if you'd like a copy - shoot me an email ross_adams@baylor.edu), states that the goal and desire for our students is to "own their faith" by the time they leave our ministry. I began to think, "How can we better help students to own their faith?" The answer is, I think, to meet them where they are. Our mission as a ministry is to come alongside of teenagers and begin to walk with them where they are, not to ask them to jump into a refined and mature faith, but to refine and mature them as we invest purposefully into their lives. I know as a youth I was taught what to believe, not how to believe. I was given statements about faith and told to accept them. Some of those statements didn't sit well with me. When my parents got divorced, I prayed and prayed and prayed...but the situation didn't seem to really change. I was a decent kid and stayed out of trouble, but I felt like so much bad had happened in my life. If I did muster up the courage to ask, I was told God was in control, all the while feeling like God had zero, and I mean zero, control of what was happening in my life. Those are huge questions and issues, and I know our students are dealing with questions like this as well. It wasn't until I entered college that I really began to ask questions and was told to look for the answers instead of being given an "answer from folk religion." When I entered into this journey of question and discovery, I found God to be much closer than I ever knew. I found God to be much more attractive than I had ever known. Most of all, I found myself growing in my faith, really owning my faith for the first time.I want our students to begin this journey of owning and discovering their own faith, but I don't want them to have to wait until college, until they are on their own. I want to begin the conversation now while we still have the opportunity to help them own their faith in Jesus Christ so that they are prepared to face the temptations and critics of the world in life beyond home and High School.
So, this summer we are going to change our pace a bit on Wednesday nights. Throughout the summer, we will be looking at questions of faith. In the foyer of the youth building, there now sits a box with some comment cards that will allow students to ask questions or raise issues that they have regarding their faith. Our Wednesday nights will be made up of discussions surrounding the issues our students are dealing with. I believe that if we meet them where they are, and we are able to help them answer their questions regarding faith, they will be better able to take steps forward in faith. Imagine a dating relationship where one partner has a big issue or lingering question about the other...it will be hard for the relationship to grow and develop until that issue has been confronted. Perhaps as a parent or volunteer, you feel stagnant or troubled in your faith because you have a question you feel has been unresolved. If that is the case, then I invite you to come journey with us as we take an honest look at our faith.
Some of the kids have asked me, "What if you can't answer the questions?" My response is this - some of the issues raised may be unanswerable on my part or on the part of the leadership of our Youth Ministry. Personally, I see beauty in the fact that not all our questions can be answered because this means God is somehow bigger. Furthermore, if we never give the opportunity to ask and leave questioned unanswered in our minds, I think we cheat ourselves of the opportunity to grow in real, committed faith.
"From Folk Religion to Examined Faith" - part of the discussion surrounding these issues will also be centered around what Olson calls folk religion, such as the answers we are given in life that we just simply accept. What Olson does in the book is ask ten questions of commonly given answers in Christian faith. For example, people often say that God has a perfect plan for your life. The question the book asks is, "What if you miss it?" We're going to go deep here. We're going to ask difficult questions, and we're going to swim through the scriptures looking for real and meaningful answers. Somewhere in the midst of that, I think students will really begin to find God and own their faith.
Some of the questions so far from the kids:
"If God knows everything and He knows what is going to happen, why do we pray? Does it really make a difference?
"Is it my fault that my parents fight all the time?
"If God is all-powerful, why can't he make other people believe in him?"
"Why doesn't God just eliminate Satan?"
"When was the New Testament written?"
"So how can God be 3 people--spirit, Jesus, and God if God was already born and then Jesus was born?"
"How can life be so difficult, but yet we pray all of the time for it to get better? When we ask for things, how can we know that it happens or when things change?"
CONNECTING - So what about you as a parent or a volunteer? Where is your faith? What are your questions? Reading the questions from the kids, are you surprised? These are difficult and deep theological issues our kids are facing today. They aren't satisfied with simple and trite answers when faced with reality. At home, don't be afraid to ask your kids if they have difficult questions. And don't be afraid if you feel like you can't answer them. What an amazing opportunity to help you own your own faith as well. Finally, don't settle yourself. If you haven't reconciled some of your own difficult faith questions or issues, begin your own journey. If you're in the pool of faith but your not swimming, chances are, you're sinking.
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