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Christian Family Principles
Written by Dr. Lester Hutson

Copyright - Lester Hutson - 1981
This material is copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced without the express written permission of Dr. Lester Hutson.

Understanding Today's Youth

Chapter One

INTRODUCTION: Text * Genesis 18:19; I Samuel 3:13

No doubt one of the greatest obstacles hindering an improvement of the youth problems facing us today is the failure by most of us to understand the problem. It is foolish to think a doctor can properly treat a sick person until he diagnoses the patient' s problem. Before a mechanic can fix your car, he must determine what is wrong with it. And, as a pastor with a sick youth department of ungodly, unconcerned boys and girls, you are not likely to see any improvement until you understand what is causing the problem.

I readily confess that I will not fully enlighten you on the subject. And I do not claim to have all the answers, but I do think that what I will set forth here gets to the very heart of our youth problems.

I.WHEN I SPEAK OF YOUTH PROBLEMS, I SUSPECT I AM TOUCHING A SENSITIVE NERVE IN EVERY PERSON AND CHURCH.

A. Look at some of these hard facts.

1. James D. Isbister, Former Administrator of the Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Mental Health Administration, reported during his service that on any given day in the U.S.A. problem drinking and alcoholism cost the economy $69.5 million, abuse of other drugs costs an additional $27.7 million, and mental illness cost another $71.8 million.

2. The fact is that a large percentage of this crime and immorality involves teens and even pre-teens. Drug abuse of all types, including heroin addiction, is common in high schools, junior highs, and even elementary schools. Drinking is one of the most common teenage problems, and rapes, burglaries, robberies, muggings, all kinds of immorality crimes, and even murders are ordinary occurrences.

3. God's Order for the Christian in Volume 16, No. 5, says "Suicide is the third highest cause of death among ages 15-24."

B. Whether or not we are willing to admit it, these youth problems are not all outside the boundaries of our churches.

1. One of the main reasons why so many of us have done so little to solve the youth problems in our churches is that we've refused to face up to the problems. Alcohol and tobacco use, drug abuse, premarital sex, rebellion against the home and even stealing have reached into the youth departments of nearly all, if not all churches. These are the culprits that have taken Godliness, zeal, dedication and holy living out of our youth departments. Brethren, we may as well face them; these problems are upon us and will destroy our Christian youth unless we meet them head on.

2. I know several girls in independent Baptist churches who're given birth to illegitimate babies. I know lots of teenagers who have smoked pot, popped "goof balls," "blue devils," and "dexies." I know a preacher's son who spent lots of time in the Harris County Rehabilitation Center. And, I can name you dozens upon dozens who've grown up and started drinking and night-clubbing, fishing or sleeping on weekends and almost completely, if not completely, dropped out of church.

C. To tell the truth, I know of no really zealous, Godly, on-fire for God, youth departments as a whole among independent Baptist churches. Occasionally, I see an exceptional boy or girl within a church but, as a whole, our youth departments are dead and worldly.

1. They'll come to our athletic competitions and parties, but mope or leave when it's devotional time.

2. They'll sit like stones when it is teaching time, and few have heart to sing praises to God's glory. If they sing at all, it is to beat somebody in a competition or to impress someone with their ability.

3. Can we not see the failure of our youth departments and programs in the fact that out of all the boys and girls who come through our Sunday schools, we keep only a handful of them in church past eighteen?

4. Brethren, it is not idle talk when I speak of youth problems today, and the problem is not far removed from anybody here.

II. THE DEVELOPMENT OF GODLY, DEDICATED, GOD-FEARING YOUNG PEOPLE IS THE SOLUTION TO A MULTITUDE OF THE PROBLEMS WE FACE TODAY.

A. I've cited evidence of morality problems, drug problems, crime problems, and what all of these are costing our society.

These problems all stem from the wicked hearts of the people. Jesus said it in Matthew 15:19, "out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies," for as He said in Matthew 12:34, "out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh." Someone has well said, "The heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart."

These things being true, then the only real way to cut down on crime, immorality, drug abuse and rebellion is to change the hearts of our people. And, since the problems are so widespread among our youth, then changing the hearts of our youth could quickly reduce many of the problems we face, not only now, but for years to come. We must reach the hearts of our youth, for they are the ones who will be around when the next few years arrive. They, and only they, can do something about the future.

B. We talk of the home being the fundamental building block of our society, and how today's homes are falling apart. We know that the strength of our nation and also of our churches depends largely upon the quality and strength of our homes. Let us open our eyes to the fact that the young people of today will make the homes of tomorrow. We cannot expect sound, God-fearing homes to support our churches of tomorrow and to raise up our grandchildren, if we do not reach our young people of today.

C. Today there is a desperate need for more Bible believing evangelistic churches which preach and practice the truths of God's Word. False religion is everywhere, but even here in the Bible belt, you are hard pressed to find sound churches with any life to them. There are hundreds of towns in Texas without one single independent Baptist church, and it is worse in most other states. It is even worse than that in Canada and Mexico, and it is progressively worse in South America, Africa, India, and most other countries. When Jesus said, "Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest," in John 4:35, He included today's world. It is desperately wicked, and churches that preach the truth are needed every where in it.

But how many churches have you ever heard of getting started without the leadership of a preacher of missionary? I'll bet very few, if any. Jesus saw the people "were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd," in Matthew 9:36. People need leadership, and if we are going to see many churches started at home or abroad, we are going to have to have the leadership of preachers and missionaries.

But from where are these preachers and missionaries going to come? God doesn't call unconverted men to preach His Word. God doesn't call His preachers from among worldly, cold, backslidden, sensuous, pleasure-mad Christians. The men who could start the churches and missions works we need, are in our youth departments today. Getting them fired up for God and sold out to Him that they might recognize God's call into His service is vital to our hopes of new churches and missionary works. It is not difficult to see the direct link between the Godliness of our young people and the number of new churches and missions works of the future. The more effectively we reach our young people, the more effectively we can reach the great harvest of the world today. Satan kills missions, new churches, and good works of all kinds by killing youth departments. Folks, he cuts off the supply by closing down the supply house.

We also have tremendous needs for pastors, youth directors, music directors, bus ministers, printers, educational directors, assistant pastors and other Christian workers. The average church without a pastor suddenly realizes how rare a sound, but progressive preacher is. You can't hardly find good, first-rate music men anywhere, and assistant pastors, who have any know-how, are like "hen's teeth." If we are ever going to have a good supply of this type of Christian workers, we must reach our youth, for it is out of consecrated, Godly youth departments that these people will come.

III. SO THAT WE MIGHT BETTER UNDERSTAND WHY OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ACT THE WAY THEY DO AND WHY THEY ARE SO HARD TO REACH AT TIMES, LET US NOW EXAMINE THE PHILOSOPHY AND PSYCHOLOGY AT THE ROOT OF OUR YOUTH PROBLEMS.

A. That poison seed which has grown like Bermuda grass in our society and which has devastated homes, morals, law enforcement, school classrooms and even church youth departments is permissiveness.

1. Out of the philosophical psychology of Sigmund Freud the idea of bringing up children without discipline has become as common in the U.S.A. as pennies and nickels. The idea is to let children do as they please. Don't spank or correct them for that might injure their emotions and retard intellectual development. By spanking you would damage a child psychologically and teach him violence and to hit others. This neo-Freudian concept which reigned supreme during most of the 1950's and 1960's, and which is still alive today, was set forth in a book by A. S. Neill called Summerhill. Neill says adults have no right to insist on obedience from their children. Attempts to make the youngsters obey are merely designed to satisfy the adult's desire for power. He says children must be free, and the best homes are the ones where parents and children are equals. A child should be required to do nothing until he chooses to do so. Children should not be asked to work, get out of bed, or do anything. Religion should not be taught, for its only reason for existence is to release the false guilt it has generated over sexual matters. He says our concepts of God, heaven, hell and sin are all based on myths. Punishment of children should be forbidden, sexual promiscuity should be allowed and good should not be encouraged nor bad discouraged. In brief, Neill's idea is to eliminate all authority and let the child grow without outside interference. He's against instructing or forcing anything on children.

2. Folks, believe it or not a large percentage of our society and the world has swallowed this thinking, if not entirely, at least in part. You can see the fruits of this Godless philosophy everywhere in our society today. From this permissive viewpoint comes the ideas of the "new generation": they believe God is dead, immorality is wonderful, nudity is noble, irresponsibility is cool, disrespect and irreverence are fashionable, unpopular laws are to be disobeyed, violence is an acceptable vehicle for bringing about change, authority is evil, everyone over thirty is stupid, pleasure is paramount, and diligence is distasteful.

B. This idea of permissiveness has so permeated our society, our churches, and the people with whom we deal that our young people are coming up with no concept of what "no" means.

1. They are permitted to do what they want to do. Nobody makes it stand up when he says "no," so the child grows up thinking he can do anything he wants to do, anytime he wants to do it, even if mother, daddy, the church, the police, or even God says "no." To them, "no" doesn't really mean "you can't" or "stop", for to them they've never known limits.

2. Their parents were permissive and never taught them "no" when they were children. Oh, the parents told them not to do lots of things, but they soon learned as children that when they went ahead and did it, nothing much ever happened over it. When they started walking, instead of teaching them limits and what "no" meant, their parents just put things up out of reach. They grew older and found that temper tantrums, crying, pouting, especially in public would get them anything they wanted, regardless of what Dad and Mom at first said. When they came to adolescence and teen years, they heard lots of threats and griping from Mom and Dad, but nothing to ever make them believe that "no" meant "no."

3. Furthermore, these kids have found in school that they are permitted to do what they please. Parents won't let the teachers spank anymore. Educators don't think they should be failed, even if they don't do their work. There used to be dress codes, but they bucked these and got them changed. If they want to carry knives, or write obscenities on the walls, or peddle drugs around school, the teachers are afraid to interfere. Besides if they get kicked out of school, their parents will pressure the school board, and they'll be reinstated. So, they know that in school permissiveness prevails, and "no" means nothing.

4. They find the same permissiveness when they test the law. They can break the law, and their parents will get down on the cops for arresting them. They're reprimanded by the police and turned loose. They do it again, and end up in juvenile court for a lecture. They're loosed to go at it again. They do, and just maybe they eventually end up in reform school, but even there nobody can touch them, and they can run away anytime they'd like. If they finally do something really gross and end up in prison, a crooked lawyer will get them off or they'll get probation in a short while. So, once again a permissive society has proven that "no" doesn't mean "no."

5. But, the thing that concerns me most is the fact that these young people who desperately need discipline so much almost always find the same Neo-Freudian ideas of permissiveness in our independent Baptist churches and youth departments.

a. We don't realize it, but some of us here today have let this wicked thinking supplant the thinking of Almighty God on how to deal with youth in our churches.

b. Our youth leaders think their role is to entertain the kids. So, they plan as much fun and games as possible for the kids. Because they feel a little obligation to give it a Christian flavor, they will plan a little dab of devotion in with lots of games.

c. They are afraid to put too much religion in because they're afraid the kids won't come. They're afraid to insist on orderly conduct and dress by the kids because they may not come back. In Sunday school, they let the kids talk and cut up so they won't stop coming. Just how many youth departments do you know that are run with a tight rein?

d. Is it not a fact that a young person can do about anything he's big enough to do, disrupt as much as he pleases, and nothing will ever come of it, and no positive action will be taken by anyone to stop him? Is it not a fact that if the young people in our churches clamor long and loud enough, our youth leaders will bend and permit them to do whatever they want to do?

e. What I am saying is that even in our churches, permissiveness prevails. "No" doesn't mean "no." The devil has sneaked his wicked psychology in and our young people are being lost as a result of it.

f. At home, at school, at the law, at church, or nowhere have they ever learned "no." They've always been permitted to do whatever they've pleased. So, when God says "thou shalt not," they don't believe it. They've never known "no" to mean anything, so why should they restrain from or say "no" to drinking, drugs, sex, lawbreaking or anything else their fleshly lusts might desire? If Mom had taught them that "no" means "no," the schools had gotten across the lesson, and the church had stood its ground, then perhaps they'd have also realized that when God said "no," He really meant it.

C. Folks, God's Word teaches that permissiveness in child-raising will not work, and we are seeing a clear illustration of that fact today.

1. The very cornerstone of the permissiveness philosophy is diametrically opposed to the truth of God's Word. The Neo-Freudians philosophize that man is basically good, and that if given an environment of love in which to develop, the good will prevail over the bad so that the child will grow up to be good. It is the old humanistic thinking of ungodly Erasmus.

2. God's Word paints an entirely different picture about the nature of man. God says man is by nature evil, and if left to his own ways, he will grow more and more corrupt.

a. God says men are by nature "the children of disobedience," in Ephesians 2:2, and "by nature children of wrath," in Ephesians 2:3.

b. Jesus said, "the flesh is weak," in Matthew 26:41 and "they that are in the flesh cannot please God," in Romans 8:8.

c. God said through His prophet Jeremiah, "0 Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." Brethren, if God cannot lie, and Titus 1:2 says He can't, then this passage ought to shut forever the infidellic mouths of the Erasmus', the Neills and all the others who think a child left alone without discipline and restraint will grow up to be good and decent.

d. Solomon said, "Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child," in Proverbs 22:15, and if he is let go unrestrained, misery and chaos are certain to follow. Solomon said again in Proverbs 29:15, "a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame." Folks, I'd rather believe God any day than the modern humanists and Neo-Freudians. I think God knows more about young people and how to raise them than the Neills. There are lots of mothers and daddies in shame today, and lots of churches in shame today, and our country ought to be ashamed today over the actions of the majority of our young people. They stand as grim testimonies to the falsehood of the modern concepts of handling children, and the truth of God which predicted how it would all turn out.

e. Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 7:29, "Lo , this have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions." We've left child-raising, discipline and molding in favor of permissiveness at the tune of the modern God-rejecters and our youth have sought out homosexuality, promiscuous premarital sexual living, drug abuse, alcoholism, tobacco, rock music, all kinds of crime and plenty more. Humanism is loving the creature more than the creator, and this is what Paul spoke of in Romans 1:25. Brethren, I believe we've reached that point in time of which Romans 1:18-32 speaks. It is an era when the wonderful, divine principles of God have been deserted in favor of the thinking of godless men. The result is upon us: violence, obsession with all types of sex perversion, rebellion in homes, crimes of all types, and general lawlessness on every hand. Lawlessness prevails.

D. Brethren, we are going to have to face up to the fact that we have some youth problems, and they are not all out yonder somewhere. They are right in our midst. We've got to realize that we're being crippled by a lack of dedicated young Christians to keep the work expanding and strong as we grow older and pass off the scene. Let us understand the thinking that is at the root of our troubles. Once we diagnose our problem and what is causing it, we can then go about introducing a proper cure. We can cast out the false philosophy and false methods that work nothing but ruin and chaos, and replace them with the true philosophies and methods of God's immutable Word. Once we do that, I can guarantee that we will see a radical improvement on the youth scene.

"It Does Make a Difference What You Believe"