How To Make Sure Your Son Keeps the Faith

In today's age, there are a plethora of resources for Christian churches and families to keep their children in the faith. From books, videos, apps and youth programs, the resources are endless to keep children engaged. A common practice in modern day churches is to separate the children from the adults in Sunday morning service. The argument for this of course is so that the children won't be bored, have relevant topics to learn about, and have a chance to interact with other children their own age.

However, with all the investment churches put into youth programs, the lack of fruit in young protestant is troubling. More young people are leaving the faith than staying with it.

Lifeway Research, 2019.

While an argument can be made for younger children to attend Sunday school or youth services on Sunday mornings, an argument can be made that adolescent and pre-adolescent children should be attending services with their parents. Sunday school for young children (as well as at home Bible study with parents) should be preparing the young to have the basic fundamentals to attend the general assembly with their parents and other adults. If you consider the fact that many of America's adolescents are able to watch and understand a plot of a PG-13 movie with their parents, then there should be no issue with that youth being able to worship and receive a message on Sunday morning.

Children are very impressionable and tend to emulate their environment. So when we see children in environments where the age is predominantly their own, it is no surprise to see that these children will act immaturely and without wisdom. The Bible specifically says: "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it."

- Proverbs 22:6

If we believe the Bible to be true, there can be no excuse for the number of lost souls who have grown up in the church. This is the result when we let the training come from the influence of other youths, despite the good efforts of a youth pastor.

AWANA recently shared their findings on youth. The number one indicator of whether a young person will stay committed to the faith is not the quality of their peers but whether or not there are meaningful adult relationships in the church.

While many youth programs seem to separate children and adults, Trail Life USA looks to build relationships between Fathers and sons. Furthermore, it is encouraged that in a safe environment, that a community of adult men and boys be established in that the boys will learn to emulate the strong Christian influence of a man. This means that for boys without a father figure in the home, there is still an opportunity for a boy to learn and be guided by other Christian men.

It is not the job of a young, inexperienced teacher or youth pastor to mentor adolescents into adulthood. If we sit back and let public schools, sports programs and even church youth groups usher our young people into adult hood, they will be lost. To save our sons from falling away from the faith, it is up to strong Christian men to minister to the youth in the church, especially boys.