Soul Searching: The Spiritual and Religious Lives of American Teenagers

Soul Searching is the compilation of a study by National Study of Youth and Religion on the spiritual and relgious lives of American Teenagers.   In fact, this study is

The largest and most detalied study of teenagers and religion ever undertaken (from the front flap).

I have not had the opportunity to read the entirety of the book, but I do recommend it.  Considering that the book is comprised of a sociological study, it does read like an encyclopedia and may serve more as a reference than an enjoyable read with a cup of coffee in bed. 

The researchers and authors set-out to answer the following questions:

What is going on in the religious and spiritual lives of American teenagers?

What do they actually believe?

What religious practices do they engage in?

Do they expect to remain loyal to the faith of their parents?

Or are they abandoning traditional religious institutions in search of a new, more “authentic” spirituality?

(Warning: Potential Spoiler) With their findings the researchers bascially conclude that American teens are not grounded in their faith, which means they do not understand it nor can they articulate it (of course there ar exceptions to this norm).  Moreover, the researchers discovered that youth are more influenced by their parents, guardians, and/or other adults than originally believed. 

To me the last point is interesting?  Why?  Because their research actually validates what the Bible has been saying for thousands of years in regards to the role, responsibility, and influence of parents in the formation of their childrens faith (see Deuteronomy 6.4-9 and Ephesians 6.1-4 to name just two out of many passages fromt the Bible). 

If you are interested in learning more you can actually view a clip from the trailer below.

By the way, there is a DVD available as well.  To my family’s surprise it was actually done with great quality.

I encourage both youth and parents to watch the video, or read through the book.  I ask that you prayerfully consider their findings and ask yourself young person, “Do I really know what I believe?”  For those of you who are parents you need to consider, “If it were only up to us or me, am I or we doing enough as parents to ensure that our children are being grounded in their faith in Jesus Christ?”

The Why, the What, the When, and the Where of Family Worship

Over the next few weeks I plan on doing a series on “Family Worship.”  This series will be directed towards parents and/or guardians.  However, if you are a young man or woman this is my word of advice to you. 

Young men, I encourage you to read this for the following reasons: (1) God will require you to one day lead your family in the worship of Him, through Jesus, in the power of the Holy Spirit; (2) If you are not capable of leading yourself, a woman, orchildren in the worship of God, then DON’T get involved with a girl in some sort of “dating relationship.”  Why?  Well, quite frankly, your not ready to commit to her because you are not capable of leading her.

Young ladies, this is my words of advice to you.  Don’t allow yourself to be involved with a guy, no matter how good looking, popular, or rich he is if he is not capable of leading himself in the worship of God.  If you call yourself a Christian, you are saying that Jesus is your Lord.  If Jesus is your Lord you are to worship Him alone.  If you are to worship Him alone, then why would you want to be involved with a guy who says that he is a “Christian” yet does not worship God through the reading of the Bible, prayer, fasting, etc…, or doesn’t share with you what God is sharing with him through His Word (i.e. the Bible)?  DON’T settle for less than God’s best in a man for you.

Don’t Waste Your Life with John Piper

In this short video John Piper passionately declares that, “Churches shouldn’t do play ministries, they should do passionate ministry youth ministriest.  Give teenages a vision for what they can be and what they can accomplish.”

Question: How can we here at The Journey create an environment that is not “playful,” but rather PASSIONATE FOR THE HONOR AND FAME OF JESUS CHRIST?  If you do not worship with us here at the Journey, then consider this question, “How can your groups best create an environment to live passionately unashmaed for Jesus Christ?”

Looking forward to your responses.

Do Hard Things: Week 1, Chapter 1

For our first week we will be reading the first chapter of “Do Hard Things.”  The title of the chapter is “Most People Don’t…A Different Kind of Teen Book.”  For the guidelines and expectations of the read along and discussion click here.

The first paragraph reads like this,

Most people don’t expect you to understand what we’re going to tell you in this book.  And even if you understand, they don’t expect you to care.  And eve if you care, they don’t expect you to do anything about it.  And even if you do something about it, they don’t expect it to last.

Well, we do (pg. 3)

After reading this I was reminded of how difficult it is to talk to people about the environment that they live within.  For instance, if you wanted to know what it feels like to be wet, would you ask a fish?  Well, I wouldn’t, because they don’t know what it feels like to be dry! 

In the same way it is difficult for us to truly know what it is like to live within our environment.  To have the ability to stand back and look objectively at the world we live in is no small order.  

If you are a young person reading this, some of the things you read may be difficult for you to grasp at first.  It will be difficult to realize that the world you live within does not encourage responsibility, independence, and productivity (for more on this check-out Are we not allowing our kids to grow-up part 1 and 2).

My prayer for you young person is that God will use the words of this book and open your eyes not only to the reality that your world requires very little of you, but that by His power you are capable of doing hard things for Jesus Christ!

Do Hard Things Read Along Guidelines

And it begins!  Today marks the first day of our journey together through Alex and Brett Harris’ Do Hard Things.  We will be reading 1 chapter per week and finish with the appendix (Do Hard Things, The Gospel, and You).  This means that our on-line discussion will cover a total of 13 weeks beginning today! 

 The following is a brief list of expectations and guidelines for joining in on the conversation:

Join in at anytime.  You are more than welcome to join in on the conversation at anytime, even if it is the twelfth week! 

On Monday’s I will post our reading assignment (which will be 1 chapter) and short introductory comments.

On Wednesday’s I will post questions from the Study Guide.  You are more than welcome to read the questions ahead of time in order to formulate your response.  However, NO comments will be posted in response to the questions UNTIL I actually post the questions on Wednesday.  So this means if you comment on the chapter prior to my posting the questions, your comments will not be approved until that point and time. 

Comment on AT LEAST one question per week and respond to AT LEAST one other comment per week.  You are more than welcome to share more, but this will be the MINIMUM requirements to ensure that we have a certain level of conversation on what we are reading. 

In your comments, no trash talking, cussing, cheap shots, talking bad about someone, gossip, etc…  ALL comments will be filtered and I reserve the right to approve them or not.  If your comment is not approved for whatever reason, I will contact you ASAP to let you know why.  Even though this is the case, I DO NOT believe that I will have to be put in this position! 

If you have any questions, feel free to write me at jessewisnewski@perrow.org. 

I’m really looking forward to our time together through the book.  May we all be encouraged to DO HARD THINGS for the honor and glory of our Lord Jesus Christ!

A lesson from a yard sale in the fight for costly grace

Several weeks ago my wife and I participated in our neighborhood yard sale.  We had high aspirations for the day, anticipating to make a few extra dollars and unload some trash to be recycled as someone elses treasure. 

Before the day officially began, my wife Jessica had an amazing idea to lure in the yard sale shoppers.  She suggested that we offer miscellaneous “free” items and place them in a basket towards the end of all of our items.  What she had in mind was attracting anyone who came by as if these free items were bloody steaks and the customers were carnivorous animals (well, the latter may be true in certain parts of the state). 

Anyways, to make a long story short, no one picked-up one free item!  At this my wife was dumbfounded, “How could one item not be picked-up?”  “How did the ’bait’ fail to lure in and snag our prey?” 

I said something along the following lines to my wife, “Items without cost are items without value.”  

So I went back inside and made a sign that read, “ALL items 25 cents.”  And go figure, nearly all of the items that were in the basket were snatched up and paid for within an hour, whereas no items were picked-up for free in the previous 3 hours! 

In the same way that yard sale items are not valued without cost, so too…

Be 1 of the first 20 responders and…

recieve a copy of Do Hard Things for $5.  We are preparing to host a read along and discussion of the book on the 7th of July (check-out here and here).  However, if I recieve at least 15 responders to this by Sunday, then we will postpone for a couple of weeks so that I can order and deliver the books. 

For those of you out there that are interested in reading the book and joining in on the conversation, all that you have to do is find a way to get me, Jesse Wisnewski, $5 for the book.  Sorry, I don’t have the ability to accept online payments.  I imagine that you will have to send the monies to our mailing address:

Perrow Church

5345 Big Tyler Road

Cross Lanes, WV 25313

I look forward to having a young, vibrant, and enthusiastic group for Jesus Christ reading along!

Consider this a challenge to do somewhat of a hard thing!

Any questions just fill-out the form below.

Family Education

Here are two quotes from two pillars of the Christian faith.  Both of these quotes were extracted from David Prince’s article titled Family Worship (article can be found here)

Jonathan Edwards said,

Family education and order are some of the chief means of grace.  If these fail, all other means are likely to prove ineffectual.

C.H. Spurgeon wrote,

The more of parental teaching the better; ministers, and Sabbath-school teachers were never meant to be substitutes for mother’s tears and fathers’ prayers…The first lesson for a child should be concerning his mother’s God…Around the fire-side fathers should repeat not only the Bible records, but the deeds of the martyrs and reformers, and moreover the dealings of the Lord with themselves both in providence and grace…Reader, if you have children, mind you do not fail in this duty…As far on as our brief life allows us to arrange, we must industriously provide for the godly nurture of our youth.  The narratives, commands, and doctrines of th eword of God are not worn out; they are calculated to exert influence as long as our race shall exist.  The one object aimed at is transmission; the testimony is only given that it may be passed on to succeeding generations.

 

Jose Pablo and Christian

Abandoned to the streets as young boys, they suffered rejection and abuse, but the Lord has restored them to a life in Him and they are coming this Wednesday from 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M.!  Don’t miss hearing the testimonies of two young Colombian men – Christian and Jose Pablo!  Don’t forget to bring your friends.

 

Do Hard Things Countdown

Hey youth - Why not consider joining the fight against low expectations?  Join me beginning Monday, July 7th as I read through and comment on Alex and Brett Harris’ Do Hard Things. 

Join the conversation and the low expectations of society.  Contact me at jessewisnewski@perrow.org or call me at the office to find-out how you can purchase a copy for only $5 (for additional information please read my comment below).  Parents you are encouraged to join in and participate as well!