They Didn't Mention Jesus

Excerpts from Ed Stetzer post:  Leadership Book Interview: Kara Powell

An important three-year research study examining what happens to students' faith is the basis for the launch of the Sticky Faith book series for parents and church leadership. I connected with co-author Dr. Kara Powell, Executive Director of the Fuller Youth Institute and a faculty member at Fuller Seminary, to discuss the practical, daily steps we can each take to build faith that lasts in the teenagers we care about. 

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Let's explore that idea of a "false gospel" a bit more. You've said in Sticky Faith that many teenagers unknowingly adopt the "gospel of sin management". What does that mean and how does that affect youth group graduates when they go out on their own?

The students in our Sticky Faith research tended to equate the gospel to a list of "do's" and "don'ts" - to a list of behaviors. That list of behaviors resembles what Dallas Willard calls the "gospel of sin management," which is really no gospel at all.

We asked the college juniors in our survey (all of whom were youth group graduates) what it meant to be a Christian. We were surprised, and disturbed, when one-third of those who answered that question didn't mention Jesus in their answers. They mentioned behaviors.

As my co-author, Dr. Chap Clark, describes in the book, the gospel that Jesus and Paul taught certainly involves behaviors, but it doesn't start with behaviors. It starts with a sense of God's grace, and the transformative power of that grace. I like to explain to teenagers that we obey God not in order to make God like us more or to feel better about ourselves, but because we're so grateful for God's grace that we want our lives to be great big "thank you notes" back to God.

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In your book you also stress the importance of creating an intergenerational group that surrounds your child. Why is that so important?

Of all of the youth group participation variables we examined, intergenerational worship and relationships was one of the strongest correlates with Sticky Faith, both in high school and college. The tragedy is that as youth ministry has become more professionalized, we have segregated (and that's not a verb I use lightly) kids from the rest of the church, and that can sabotage their faith.

We're tracking with a host of churches around the country who are moving more toward intergenerational youth ministry. Sure, there's a time and place for 16 year-olds to be together, but we have swung too far in the direction of siloization. Creative churches and ministries are connecting teenagers and adults in worship, mentoring, service work, and other programs. Interestingly, not only do the teenagers benefit from intergenerational relationships, but so does the entire church!

What advice would you give parents who want to take some baby steps toward Sticky Faith with their kids, whether that be in the minivan or over a meal?

The typical family conversation about faith involves the parent interviewing their child, asking them questions like: How was church? What did you learn? What did you study? Depending on your child's mood, personality, and your relationship with them, you might get real answers but you might also get very short answers or even just grunts.

Our Sticky Faith research suggests that we should keep asking these questions as parents, but what is as important is that we also share about our own faith journey with our students, and that is much less practiced by parents today. Instead of interviewing teenagers or lecturing them, wise leaders and parents will share their own spiritual journeys, both past and present. What has God been teaching them? What doubts are they struggling with? How did they come to devote their live to Christ? These are all questions that parents can and should be answering with their teenage children.

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