RELEVANT CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

Remember this verse?

"You will know the truth and the truth will set you free."  John 8:32

One of the most important things you and I do as children's ministry leaders, is to help kids know the truth.

But that is becoming more and more challenging, isn't it?

Truth is perceived as relative.  Postmodernism has led us to the point where society says there is no "absolute truth."  What is right for you is right for you and what is right for me is right for me.  Everyone does what is right in their own eyes.  A 2016 study that analyzed 376 million Facebook users’ interactions with over 900 news outlets found that people tend to seek information that aligns with their views.

Fake news is mingled in with truth.  Kids are bombarded with hundreds of stories and information bits each day.  Anyone can report anything they want and spread it online to thousands of people with just a click.  This results in fake news being mixed in with the truth.  If it's online, then it must be true, right?  Often it's hard for adults to know the difference, much less kids.  Truth has become very murky.

Kevin Kelly, co-founder of Wired magazine said,  “Truth is no longer dictated by authorities, but is networked by peers.  For every fact there is a counterfact and all these counterfacts and facts look identical online, which is confusing to most people.”

Truth is rejected.  Relative truth leads kids down a pathway that rejects moral absolutes.  This means a fixed moral code is not accepted.  Claims of truth are met with "You are intolerant."

Truth is being replaced with personal emotion.  In late 2016, Oxford Dictionaries selected “post-truth” as the word of the year, defining it as “relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.”

People don’t want to BE informed, they want to FEEL informed.  -Roger Ailes

So how can we prepare the next generation of believers to know and walk in the truth of God's Word? Let's look at a few ways to help them know and walk in the truth.

Misinformation is not like a plumbing problem you fix.  It is a social condition, like crime, that you must constantly monitor and adjust to.  -Tom Rosenstiel

We must renew our commitment to helping kids identify and adhere to truth.  We must equip them to examine everything through a Biblical worldview.  Does this line up with God's Word?  Does this reflect the heart of Jesus?  

We must show kids the real truth.  The best way to know fake truth is to know real truth.  When kids know the teachings and doctrines of God's Word, they can then identify false truth.  Kids will see and know that things that are different are not the same. 

We must help kids be able to defend the truth.  We must help kids know why we believe what we believe.  Apologetics are more needed than ever before.  Kids must be able to contend for their faith. 

The crisis we face about ‘truth’ and reliable facts is predicated less on the ability to get people to believe the *wrong* thing as it is on the ability to get people to *doubt* the right thing.  -Jamais Cascio

It's time we start teaching with the goal of giving kids a solid faith foundation.  Fluff must be replaced with a focus on the foundational truths of God's Word.  This can be done with teaching series like this one - Pranksters.   

We must show them how to live out the truth.  Truth must be lived out for it to become an integral part of a person's life.  Head knowledge alone will not suffice.  We must help kids apply the truth to their everyday lives.  Then and only then will we see it stick.  Information must have application if we are going to see transformation.

We must empower kids to be bearers of the truth.  We must empower kids with truth, not so they can "hide it under a bush," but so they can "let it shine."  The light of the truth is not meant to be hid, but rather to be shone in the midst of the darkness.  We must raise up bold bearers of the truth whom God will use to spread the truth throughout the world.

Can I remind you of how critical what you do is?  You hold the baton of truth in your hands.  And God has called you to pass it the generation that is behind you.  You are in the hand-off zone right now.

Teach the truth.

Read the truth.

Hold on to the truth.

Live out the truth.

Invest your time in passing on the truth.

Be passionate about sharing the truth with the next generation.

Defend the truth in love.

Equip the next generation with the truth.

There are lots of worldviews competing for children's attention.  Most are in direct opposition to a Christian worldview and if adopted by children will turn their hearts away from God's truth. 

A recent study by Barna reveals just how critical it is that we teach kids and their parents a Biblical worldview.

Currently, among professing Christians...

• 38% are sympathetic to some Muslim teachings

• 61% agree with ideas rooted in New Spirituality

• 54% resonate with postmodernist views

• 36% accept ideas associated with Marxism

• 29% believe ideas based on secularism

It is important to note that Millennials, who are the young parents of the children in our ministries, grew up in a less Christianized context, and as a result, are up to eight times more likely to accept these views than their parents and grandparents.  This shows we must not only focus on teaching children a Biblical worldview, but their parents as well.  Since parents are the primary spiritual influence in their children's lives, equipping parents with a Biblical worldview must also be a priority.

There are 4 major worldviews that are competing for the heart of children and parents. Let's take a look at them.

New Spirituality
This worldview holds a positive view of religion, emphasizes the supernatural and simultaneously feeds into a growing dissatisfaction with institutions.  It says all people pray to the same god or spirit, no matter what name they use for that spiritual being.  It says that "meaning and purpose come from becoming one with all that is."  It says "if you do good, you will receive good, and if you do bad, you will receive bad (Karma)."  And it says "God helps those who help themselves." 

• 28% of Christians have embraced "all people pray to the same god or spirit, no matter what name they use for that spiritual being."

• 27% of Christians have embraced “meaning and purpose come from becoming one with all that is."

• 32% of Christians agree that “if you do good, you will receive good, and if you do bad, you will receive bad.”

• 52 percent of practicing Christians strongly agree that the Bible teaches “God helps those who help themselves."

• Overall, at least 61 percent of practicing Christians embrace at least one of the ideas rooted in New Spirituality.

Secularism
The secular worldview prioritizes the scientific method as an explanatory framework for life and advances a rational and materialistic view of the world.  While most Christians resist scientism and Darwinism, they are inclined toward an off shoot of secularism, which is materialism.  Materialism is the view that the material world is all there is.  Here is an example.

• 20% of Christians believe that meaning and purpose in life comes from working hard to earn as much as possible so you can make the most of life."

• 13% believe that a person's life is valuable only if society sees it as valuable.

Postmodernism
Postmodernism advances the idea that there is no such thing as objectivity.  A Postmodern worldview says that claims on ultimate reality are subjective by virtue of their context—that is, we are all limited by our experience, and at best we can know only what is true for ourselves.  Here are some examples of how this worldview is infecting Christian's thinking.

• 19% strongly agree that “no one can know for certain what meaning and purpose there is to life.”

• 23% strongly agree that “what is morally right or wrong depends on what an individual believes.” 

• 15% say if your beliefs offend someone or hurt their feelings, it is wrong. 

Marxism
Marxism as a worldview stands in opposition to the economics of capitalism and falls more in line with socialist or communist political ideologies.  Marxism, though, is also founded on an irreligious—or even religiously hostile foundation.

•  11% strongly agree that “private property encourages greed and envy.” 

• 14% of practicing Christians strongly agree that “the government, rather than individuals, should control as much of the resources as necessary to ensure that everyone gets their fair share.” 

• 15% strongly disagree that “if the government leaves businesses alone, they will mostly do what’s right.”  In other words, this proportion believes significant government regulation is necessary for the good of society. 

These findings should not be taken lightly.  They confirm a continuing shift away from a Christian worldview by each succeeding generation.  There is increasing pluralism, relativism and moral decline in the church.    

It is critical that children's and family ministry leaders help kids and their parents know why they believe what they believe and develop a solid, Biblical worldview.  We must help them see that things that are different are not the same.  There cannot be absolute truth if all things are held as equal.  We must inform them so they can maintain a healthy worldview and faith.  This will also enable them to have productive dialogue with people who adhere to other beliefs. 

Recently, we created a series called Pranksters to help kids develop a Biblical worldview.  It's a four-week series that teaches kids why we believe what we believe.  It helps kids grapple with the hard questions and come out with a deeper faith.  It shows the unique differences of the Christian faith and equips kids to share Biblical truth in a world that says there are no absolutes.  You can get more information about obtaining this series for your ministry at this link. 

Barna made this statement that resonates so clearly.

"In the race to a child's heart, the first one there wins."

Like never before, it is critical that we get there first with a Biblical world view.  

Postmodernism has led us down a slippery slope.  We've slidden so far that today's kids are being raised without the foundation of absolute truth.

Today's kids are being raised by the Millennials.  Let's take a look at what these young parents are teaching their children.

74% of Millennial parents agree or somewhat agree with the statement, “Whatever is right for your life or works best for you is the only truth you can know.”  51% of Millennials say moral truth is relative.

So if today's kids are being raised without the absolute truth of God, what is it being replaced with?  What are they being taught?  Barna's team says absolute truth is being replaced with the morality of self-fulfillment.  This new morality can be summed up in 6 key principles.

#1 - The best way to find yourself is by looking within yourself.

#2 - People should not criticize someone else's life choices.

#3 - To be fulfilled in life, you should pursue the things you desire the most.

#4 - The highest goal in life is to enjoy it as much as possible.

#5 - People can believe whatever they want, as long as it doesn't affect society.

#6 - Any kind of sexual expression between two consenting adults is acceptable.

Under the guise of "self-fulfillment" kids are being led down a path described in Proverbs 14:12.

"There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death." 

I can't begin to tell you how important your ministry is.  The future of the next generation is at stake.  You are needed more than ever to teach kids and parents that the source of truth is God and His Word.

How can you accomplish this?  What's the secret to reaching a generation of kids and parents who don't believe in absolute truth?  Ephesians 4:15 tells us.  It says we must speak the truth in love.  As we show kids and parents the love of Jesus, it will open their hearts to receive the truth of Jesus.  Just like an airplane needs both wings to fly, we must have truth and love to reach today's kids and parents.  Jesus is our example in this...the Bible says He was full of grace and truth.

Today's kids and parents won't be reached by standing on a street corner waving a Bible and yelling the truth at them.  They will be reached by people who serve them with the unconditional love of Christ and earn the right to be heard. 

These findings are also a great reminder of the importance of children's ministry leaders giving renewed focus to discipling and equipping the young Millennial parents who are in our churches.  If we want kids to have the foundation of absolute truth, it will have to come from their parents. 

We must also more than ever be laser-focused in what we are teaching kids in the short time with have with them at church.  Our curriculum must be very intentional about communicating the core absolute truths of God's Word.  This is not the time to haphazardly and randomly pick curriculum.  We must start with the end in mind.  What are the absolute truths that we want kids to know and believe when they leave our ministry?  Our curriculum must be the pathway that takes kids to those absolute truths.

It's easy to look at stats like you read above and get discouraged...wonder if you're really making any difference...contemplate giving up.

Don't.  Remember...the darker the light...the brighter the light.  The absolute truths of God's Word is what kids and families need.  It's their only hope.  It's our nation's only hope.  It's our world's only hope.  And God wants to use you to bring that hope.  Stand by the truth.  Love people to the truth.  Share the truth.  Believe the truth.  Watch people be set free by the truth.  It's the only absolute in a world that is desperately searching to fill the void that is left without it.

Kids and families are attending church less frequently.  Families used to consider themselves regular attendees if they came 3-4 times a month.  Recent stats now show that families who attend once every 4-6 weeks consider themselves regular attendees.

51% of Americans say church is not that important or not important at all.  And the younger the person, the less important it is.  Only 20% of adults under 30 say church attendance is important.

What is causing this decline?  A big factor is generational characteristics.

Senior adults were shaped by events like World War II and are very loyal to the institutions they fought to protect, including the churches they attend.

Middle-aged adults were shaped by events Vietnam, Woodstock, and Watergate and learned to challenge authority.  They are consumers, attending church for what it has to offer them.

Young adults have been shaped by postmodernism, which promotes tolerance and the denial of absolute truth.  59% who grew up in church have dropped out.

They say the church is irrelevant and hypocritical.  One-third have left the church because of it's "anti-gay" stance which they see as intolerance.

These are the young parents and families who are only attending your church once every 4 to 6 weeks...if they attend at all.

In spite of this, I am encouraged.  There are many churches that are growing and reaching kids and families.

In fact, right now, Jesus is building some of the greatest churches in the history of our nation.  Thousands of kids and families are being brought into the kingdom by the Spirit of God.

But even for churches that are growing and reaching kids and families, the question remains...how do we encourage families to be faithful instead of sporadic in their church attendance?

I believe there are 6 keys.

#1 - We must be RELEVANT.  A big reason kids and families are not attending as frequently is because what they experience and hear at church is not relevant to their everyday life.

If we are going to be relevant to people's lives, we must teach beyond the facts.  I talk more about this here.

#2 - We must be RELATIONAL.  Kids and families want to be known, loved, and cared for.  Relationships is the glue that will help them be faithful.  They'll be consistent when they know they'll be missed by someone if they're absent.

#3 - We must RECRUIT people to serve.  When people serve in community, they will be motivated to be consistent in their attendance.

I am convinced more than ever, that serving is a key part of discipleship and faithfulness.  Someone who is only attending once every 4-6 weeks is probably not serving.  Think about it.  Those who ARE consistent in their attendance...your core...are those who are engaged in serving.

Build a culture of serving and you will see kids and families begin to attend more consistently.

#4 - We must REVERBERATE a mission.  People long to be part of something significant...something bigger than themselves.  And when they find it...they will consistently give themselves to it.

Do families know the mission of your church?  Is it clearly defined?  Is it easy to remember?  Is it something worthy of their time, talent, and treasure?

#5 - We must REMIND families of the importance of consistent church attendance.  By reminding, I am not referring to taking them on a guilt trip.  But rather, sharing with them the essential role church plays in the life of a believer.  And showing parents how church attendance is vital in laying a spiritual foundation for their children.

#6 - We must be about REDEMPTION.  Why is the church seen as intolerant?  Perhaps it's because we're known more for what we are AGAINST than what we are FOR.

We must speak the truth in LOVE...not compromising God's Word...but at the same time be known first and foremost as a place that loves people...no matter where they are in life...and offers them hope, healing, and forgiveness through Christ.

Jesus was the friend of sinners...not the foe of sinners. 

Have you found these percentages to be true in your church? 

How often do families attend? (not the committed core, but your average family)

What are you doing to encourage families to be more consistent in their attendance? 

The floor is yours. Share your ideas in the comment section below.  We really want to hear them.