| Dive In Youth Ministry - Note to Parents |
Passing it On
Parents, did you know that you are number 1? It’s true! When teens were asked how much influence they
acknowledged from various sources, 78% of teens surveyed said that their parents have a lot of influence
on them. That percentage far out measures any other source of influence: 51% friends, 48% the Christian
faith, 40% siblings, and 27% clergy. The message is clear. Parents, your role in the spiritual formation of
your teens as well as every other aspect of their lives is essential.
In the more recent MTV / AP "happiness" poll of American youth, kids say "spending time with
my family" is by far the one thing that makes them most happy in life. "Parents are also at the
top of their hero pyramid--almost a third (29%) list their mother as the person they 'admire
most,' and one in five (21%) say the same about their father."2 That may not seem like a high
percentage, but it is the highest percentage anyone received. So whether you realize it or not
and whether you believe or not the truth is youth love, respect, and look up to their parents
more than anyone else.
Further, "research overwhelmingly identifies the family as the most important faith field in a
young person's life. We are more likely to attend church as adults if we participated in church
and Sunday School as children--but congregational influence pales beside the influence of
families on developing faith...'It is religious training in the home that appears to [best predict
adult church attendance]: family devotions as a child are the best predictor of adult
attendance, followed by seeing one's parents read the Bible to the child'...Two out of three
regular churchgoers come from families in which religion was very important."3
We see our role as your partners by amplifying and encouraging your efforts and helping you
become your kids main spiritual mentors any way we can. Let us know how we can do that
better.
1 Barna, George. Reel Teens: A Contemporary Snapshot of Youth Culture. Regal Books, 2001
2 Group Magazine. November / December 2007 Issue, p. 14.
3 Dean, Kenda Creasy, Ron Foster. The Godbearing Life: The Art of Soul Tending for Youth Ministry. Upper Room Books, 1998.
Parents, did you know that you are number 1? It’s true! When teens were asked how much influence they
acknowledged from various sources, 78% of teens surveyed said that their parents have a lot of influence
on them. That percentage far out measures any other source of influence: 51% friends, 48% the Christian
faith, 40% siblings, and 27% clergy. The message is clear. Parents, your role in the spiritual formation of
your teens as well as every other aspect of their lives is essential.
In the more recent MTV / AP "happiness" poll of American youth, kids say "spending time with
my family" is by far the one thing that makes them most happy in life. "Parents are also at the
top of their hero pyramid--almost a third (29%) list their mother as the person they 'admire
most,' and one in five (21%) say the same about their father."2 That may not seem like a high
percentage, but it is the highest percentage anyone received. So whether you realize it or not
and whether you believe or not the truth is youth love, respect, and look up to their parents
more than anyone else.
Further, "research overwhelmingly identifies the family as the most important faith field in a
young person's life. We are more likely to attend church as adults if we participated in church
and Sunday School as children--but congregational influence pales beside the influence of
families on developing faith...'It is religious training in the home that appears to [best predict
adult church attendance]: family devotions as a child are the best predictor of adult
attendance, followed by seeing one's parents read the Bible to the child'...Two out of three
regular churchgoers come from families in which religion was very important."3
We see our role as your partners by amplifying and encouraging your efforts and helping you
become your kids main spiritual mentors any way we can. Let us know how we can do that
better.
1 Barna, George. Reel Teens: A Contemporary Snapshot of Youth Culture. Regal Books, 2001
2 Group Magazine. November / December 2007 Issue, p. 14.
3 Dean, Kenda Creasy, Ron Foster. The Godbearing Life: The Art of Soul Tending for Youth Ministry. Upper Room Books, 1998.
| Home I Ministries I Contact Us I Webmaster Grandview Church of the Nazarene 1500 Highgrove Road Grandview MO 64030 816-763-6891 |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
 |  |  |  |  |  |