Here's a few excerpts from a blog someone pointed me in the direction of. I didn't really agree with the application described by the rest of the post but I think these bits are really good.
A compelling case can be made to support the fact that young Christians are walking away from Christianity in record numbers. What can we do about it? What can be done? Whenever people ask me this question, I always say the same thing. STOP TEACHING YOUNG CHRISTIANS. Just stop it. Whatever Christendom is doing in its effort to teach it’s young, the effort appears to largely be a failure.
We train when we know we are about to encounter a battle. Imagine for a moment that you are enrolled in an algebra class. If the teacher assured you that you would never, ever be required to take a test, and that you would pass the class regardless of your level of understanding, how hard do you think you would study?
The problem we have in the Church today is not that we lack good teachers. There are many excellent teachers in the Church. The problem is that none of these teachers are scheduling battles. Make no mistake about it, there are battles looming for each and every young Christian in the Church today, but church leaders are not involved in the scheduling of these battles. The battles are waiting for our sons and daughters when they get to University (or enter the secular workplace). The Church needs to be in the business of scheduling battles and training our young people for these battles. Teaching without a planned battle is little more than “blah, blah blah.” This is the problem with traditional Sunday School programs. They are often well-intended, informative and powerfully delivered. But they are impotent, because our young people have no sense of urgency or necessity. There is no planned battle looming on the horizon and the battle of University life is simply too far away to be palpable. It’s time to address the problem not with our classes but with our calendar. It’s time to start scheduling battles so our teaching becomes training.
SO.... How do we do it?
I know this article is talking about young Christians but surely the same is true of more mature Christians? If we don't have 'planned battles' how will we progress with our faith or will we just settle with what we know? As a musician I have to confess to not practicing or barely even thinking about playing unless I know I have an event to play for. This isn't just about seeking an audience and recognition of skill, it's about a purpose for which to do the activity. This God stuff is so much more important, I've been taught how to practice and rehearse pieces of music but I'm not so sure I know what I'm doing when it comes to learning about and connecting with God.
