A teen’s faith walk
July 18, 2008 | T. Suzanne Eller, faith, family
One vehicle for my passion is ministry to teens and parents of teens. This is a recent post that I shared with Hearts at Home readers (an Intl. ministry to moms).
Your Teen’s Faith Walk
I love how little children view God.
Shelby, age 7, says, “God gets sad if you tell a lie, or if you hurt someone, or if you sneeze on someone on purpose.”
Sara, age 6, says “God is in love with your heart. He made people with hearts and he also made trees. But people are harder to make than trees.”
It’s a simple view of faith, and I wish it remained that way. But having worked with teens, I see many youth arrive at the teen years with mixed messages, confused precepts, and often a hunger to know God in more than a hanging-out-in-a-pew kind of way.
What are teens saying about God?
Amanda, age 18, says, “I am constantly being stretched to love God more passionately, to pursue Him more wholeheartedly, and to minister to those around me.”
Gemma, age 13, says, “My parents could impact my faith if they would believe it themselves.”
Janelle, age 15 says, “I need to figure out some things on my own, including where I stand with God and making God my own instead of my parents’ God.”
My parents didn’t know how to show me God, so as a child I didn’t believe in Him. When I became a Christian in my teen years, it changed my life, but not my home life. Later, as a young mom I wanted to show my children who God was, and to help them know him personally. I read books. Experts gave me formulas. Others just laid down the law—do this, do that, voila’ you’ve got a Christian kid.
But over time I realized that most of what I taught my children about God didn’t come from a Bible or a family night devotion time or a set of rules. Perhaps the most powerful “lessons” taught to my children came in the harder times for our family. As they matured they looked at me – at my responses to life and to God in the midst of good times and hard times – to see who God was. It shaped their faith much more than words or sermons.
Paul the apostle said, “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice” (Phil. 4:9).
That almost sounds arrogant, doesn’t it? Shouldn’t he be saying, “follow Christ” or “know God” or “these are the rules that you can follow to stay on the straight and narrow”? No, instead he humbly says, “learn from me as I follow Christ and put it into practice in my every day life”.
You see, teens hear a thousand messages about faith. Hostile messages. Unfounded messages. Mixed messages. After a while, words blend together into a roaring hum. But what do they see when they look at you, mom? Do they see a vibrant relationship with an amazing God? Do they see you trusting him? Do they know that what you have is genuine beyond the church walls or committee meetings or traditions?
Maybe your teen is struggling to define his faith. That can be scary. But let’s look at it a different way. They are trying to define what they believe, and why. Many parents begin to micromanage their teen’s faith during this time, and their own faith life gets a little shaky as they look to God as if to say, “don’t you see what’s happening here?” He does. God loves your teen even more than you. He holds the blueprint of your son or daughter’s DNA in his hands and heart. Keep attending church and honoring God as a family, but understand that Christ didn’t drag you to the foot of the cross, nor does He expect you to drag your child to Him. Pray. Trust. Let God be so vibrant in your life that when they are ready, they know where to turn.
PS: Maybe today you are one of those moms who feels a little pulled thin as you drive your teens (and their friends) to youth events or help them raise funds for youth activities, camp, or mission trips. If you are, I want you to know how amazing that is. I would have given a million dollars for a mom like that when I was a teen. If your teen is running toward God, take a moment and thank God—and then run with him or her
On Real Teen Faith today: Real Question: My friend is a new Christian and she’s driving me crazy.
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I loved your PS today!! When I was a teen I made the cheering team and had to quite because my mom wouldn’t drive me. (not that its church - but she didn’t take me to church or anywhere else). She was an alcoholic & depressed. I pray I will be a mom who would drive to the ends of the earth for my kids - especially for Christian events.
Nobody said being a mom would be easy - but once you sign up for it, you can’t quit. You’ve got to excel every day! A child is depending on it.
July 19th, 2008 at 3:52 pm