There are a lot of things we love to talk about in faith-based ministries – trusting God, seeking God’s will and / or direction, prayer, sex (or the lack of it until you’re married), scripture reading and faith, just to name a few.
There are a few other complex or controversial topics that we Christians generally choose to avoid. Topics like:
- The concubine in Judges (why was she cut up and sent out to twelve tribes?)
- Was Abraham really going to kill Issac? And why would God ask him to do it in the first place?
- If there is a God, why is there suffering?
You know, the light-hearted subjects found in the sciptures!
And I don’t believe this is only true for the Christian faith, based on some discussions I’ve had with youth workers from other faiths. I’m talking about any faith-based ministry, be it Hindu, Sikh or Muslim. There are some areas that most of us are not interested in discussing with youth at all, but particularly not in a faith-based setting.
Here is my problem with that.
If not then, when?!
If our youth ministries aren’t the safest place in the world to explore complex issues that bump up and sometimes grind against our faith, then where can youth discuss it? Where can they learn about it? (And I’m not talking about the 1.6 youth in your ministry who have a great, open relationship with their god-fearing parents to discuss these issues – I’m talking about all the others). They’re going to figure it out on their own, at school or with their friends, who may not share their same faith.
I have a key example of this, often very controversial when I share it, so brace yourself:
It starts with an ‘A’ and it’s not the subject of a Nathaniel Hawthorne novel.
Abortion
I think we should talk about abortion with our youth.
And not just in a ‘don’t do it’ kind of way. In a, ‘there are three options when you get pregnant, let’s talk about each of them, their benefits and their dangers and then make some choices that are informed by our faith’ kind of way.
Abortion is a choice for most young people in the world today – even those in our ministries.
It may not be one we want them to even consider. But it is one the world is going to offer them. And it’s going to be very seductive… an easy fix… No one would even have to know.
You’ve got all kinds of good stuff there to explore – integrity, safety, parental care and relationships, sex, choosing life over death, choices… and for people of faith God has a lot to say about all of that.
We need to talk to our youth about how decisions like these can be impacted by their faith. Every youth ministry I’ve ever been in or around is quick to point out to youth that faith isn’t just a Sunday morning / Wednesday night kind of thing, it’s an all-the-time thing. That would stand to reason that faith should have a part in the decision making process, starting during adolescence.
And not only should our faith impact our decisions beforehand; it can also carry us, hold us up, give us strength, forgiveness and healing when we make poor choices. Which we all do. And our youth are going to do that too.
Faith should also then be our compass on issues that are controversial, even when they affect others and not our youth directly. Youth ministries are a great place to learn about compassion, loving others, peace and joy.
So talk about abortion, LGBT issues, gun rights, immigration, concubines and suffering. And teach the youth in your ministry how to view them through the lens of their faith, rather than putting on the blinders that say ‘these things don’t exist for you – you have faith.’
Question: What do you think – should we openly discuss things like abortion in youth ministry? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
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