You've Got To Be Kidding Me!

I recently had a conversation with our Student Pastor Matt and he told me some amazing things. He was telling me that some parents punish their kids when they do something wrong by grounding them from all activities including youth group activities at The Crossing. Youth group activities...you've got to be kidding me? That is like saying, "Son, you are sick again and because you are sick again I am going to ground you from seeing the doctor." So staying home in their rooms away from an event with their Heavenly father is going to help them obey their earthly fathers, how? And how does their absence help their youth group to get stronger? These things drive me nuts. We just don't think sometimes as parents.

I know some parents don't make their kids come to youth group if they are tired or have some other excuse. There may be times we should do that but rarely. Maybe if they weren't doing all those other events that don't touch their souls they would have more energy for one that does? I know some others think, "Well I don't want to shove religion down their throat." I wouldn't either but The Crossing is hardly religion. Religion is the boring, judgemental, adult focused church some of us grew up with.

But let's use that reasoning in other areas of a teenager's life. "I don't make them do homework because I don't want to shove education down their throat." Or how about..."I don't make them shower because I don't want to shove personal hygiene down their throat." Or even..."I don't make them go to practice because I don't want to shove commitment down their throat." We would never say these things. So why does everything else come before God and our children's spiritual growth?

I think it is because we ourselves are not that committed to it. Is it because God is not the living center of our lives, so why should he be for our kids? Do we think sports, education, or discipline is more important than God? What we do not realize is that if those things keep taking precedence over giving God and Pastor Matt the opportunity to shape and mold our kids we are setting ourselves up to have athletic, educated, disciplined, nominal Christians if not outright non-Christians. Well at least you got to see them play some sports and get good grades.

I challenge you to make some changes for your kid's future and yours. Get them involved in the student program. Get them to the apartment outreach this Saturday, 10-2. Be at the office at 9:30 AM Saturday or call Matt by Friday for a ride, 678-372-3130. The teens will go to an apartment complex in a repressed area and minister to kids in that complex. That will touch them.

Parents take the lead; they need you to, and so do you! You won't regret it but you will almost certainly regret not doing it.