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Explore the factors influencing the loss of young people in the church and how to prevent it. Discover the impacts of friends, parents, church image, lax standards, and lack of quality time. Ephesians 5:6-8.
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Welcome To The Services Of The Dunlap church of Christ We Are So Glad You Are Here!
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Ephesians 5:6-8 “Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. (7) Be not ye therefore partakers with them. (8) For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:”
Not Uncommon For Young People To Ultimately Be Lost To The World
Why? Knowing why may help prevent losing more!
Why Are We Losing Our Young People? I. Bad Influence - Of Their Friends
Why Are We Losing Our Young People? I. Bad Influence - Of Their Friends “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.” I Corinthians 15:33
Why Are We Losing Our Young People? I. Bad Influence – Of Their Friends II. Poor Example – Of Their Parents
II. Poor Example – Of Their Parents A. Young People Learn From What They See B.Young People Often See Parents Who: 1. Don’t attend Sunday Bible class 2. Don’t attend Sunday night services 3. Don’t attend on Wednesday night 4. Don’t support gospel meetings, VBS, etc. 5. Emphasize material over spiritual 7. Emphasize school work, sports, hobbies, etc. to the exclusion of spiritual things 8. Flirt with worldliness in all its forms Should Not Be Surprised When They Turn Out Just Like We Have Trained Them!
Why Are We Losing Our Young People? I. Bad Influence – Of Their Friends II. Poor Example – Of Their Parents III. Weak Image – Of The Church
III. Weak Image – Of The Church From the time a child is old enough to pay attention to what goes on in the church (let’s say 8 years old) they form an image of the church and Christianity. Until they are 18 (10 year period), what image is formed?
Why Are We Losing Our Young People? I. Bad Influence – Of Their Friends II. Poor Example – Of Their Parents III. Weak Image – Of The Church IV. Lax Standards – At Home
IV. Lax Standards – At Home A. Training young people requires high standards 1. Ephesians 6:1-4 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. (2) Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; (3) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. (4) And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”
IV. Lax Standards – At Home A. Training young people requires high standards 1. Ephesians 6:1-4 2. Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
IV. Lax Standards – At Home A. Training young people requires high standards1. Ephesians 6:1-4 2. Proverbs 22:6 3.Deut. 4:9-10“Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons; (10) Specially the day that thou stoodest before the LORD thy God in Horeb, when the LORD said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.”
Common Lax Standards 1. Little corrective discipline in younger years Proverbs 22:15 “the rod of correction” Proverbs 19:18 “Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.” 2. Careless in watching: (clothing, music, movies, TV, who with, where go) 3. Not involved in religious training 4. Little communication to bond, teach Proverbs 29:15 “The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himselfbringeth his mother to shame.”
Why Are We Losing Our Young People? I. Bad Influence – Of Their Friends II. Poor Example – Of Their Parents III. Weak Image – Of The Church IV. Lax Standards – At Home V. Little Time – As A Family
V. Little Time – As A Family A. We Simply Cannot Fulfill Some Of Our God Given Responsibilities Without Time. 1. Takes time to be an example 2. Takes time to teach them 3. Takes time to help through problems 4. Takes time to understand them 5. Takes time to communicate 6. Takes time to build a relationship that lasts
V. Little Time – As A Family A. Can’t Fulfill Some Respon. Without Time B.Redeeming time (Ephesians 5:15-16) 1. Make wise use of time 2. Sad when grow up – have no time for parents
V. Little Time – as a Family A. Can’t Fulfill Some Respon. Without Time B.Redeeming time (Eph. 5:15-16) C. Often Too Busy 1. To eat together 2. To talk about each other’s day 3. Go somewhere as a family 4. Help a teenager through some problems
Why Are We Losing Our Young People? I. Bad Influence – Of Their Friends II. Poor Example – Of Their Parents III. Weak Image – Of The Church IV. Lax Standards – At Home V. Little Time – As A Family
If You Are Not Going To Adhere To The Standards God Has Given, Don't Have Children!
Let Us Be Men & Women Of Conviction & Character, Not Wimps & Sissies! Hard Job? Costly? Absolutely, But Worth Whatever The Price Paid!
The Simple Plan • HEAR –Rom.10:17; Jno.20:30,31 • BELIEVE –John 8:24; Hebrews 11:6 • REPENT –Luke 13:3; Acts 17:30,31 • CONFESS –Romans 10:10; Acts 8:37 • BE BAPTIZED –Mk. 16:16; Acts 22:16 • ADDED TO CHURCH (Acts 2:41,47)
The Simple Plan • HEAR –Rom.10:17; Jno.20:30,31 • BELIEVE –John 8:24; Hebrews 11:6 • REPENT –Luke 13:3; Acts 17:30,31 • CONFESS –Romans 10:10; Acts 8:37 • BE BAPTIZED –Mk. 16:16; Acts 22:16 • ADDED TO CHURCH (Acts 2:41,47)
Are You Wayward? “Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.” (Acts 8:22) “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” (James 5:16)