The Offensive Truth
Relativism and Our Kids
I was dismayed a while back when I learned that a Barna survey found that "less than one out of every ten churched teenagers has a biblical worldview." But a survey is just that, a survey. Things couldn't be that bad, could they? Well, I recently heard a shocking story that vividly illustrates just how far relativism has infected the Church—to the point where Christian kids balk at the idea that Christianity would claim to be, of all things, true.
Four years ago, the BreakPoint staff and I launched Centurions, an intensive, year-long education program designed to equip 100 people each year to defend a biblical worldview and teach it to others.
One of our Centurions participants takes that call very seriously as she works with students at a local middle school. She sponsors a Christian club at the school, voluntary of course, and in accord with all the state laws. The students lead the club, and she mentors those leaders.
The club has been studying the ReWired curriculum, which BreakPoint created with Ron Luce's Teen Mania. The DVD explores the four basic worldview questions: Where do I come from? Why is the world in such a mess? Is there a way to fix it? Is there a purpose for my life?
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Everything was going fine until the group reached lesson 10. Lesson 10 leads the kids through a series of choices to learn to recognize the difference between matters of truth and matters of taste. One of the choices, "believing Islam, Buddhism or Christianity," flashed on the screen.
Our Centurion—I'll call her Joanne, told me what happened next: "The students went nuts. All but one of the eight leaders completely balked at the concept of distinguishing Christianity as true and other religions as false."
The next day when they met again, Joanne told the students leaders that they would not have to teach lesson 10 to other students if they didn't believe it.
Joanne learned that several of the seventh graders had talked to their parents or pastors over night. But the result of those conversations was shocking. One girl had written a paper that night on "why we shouldn't hurt others feelings by claiming our way is right." One young lady had met with her pastor, who told her no one can be sure of truth. "It is all perspective," he said. The students agreed that they should not offend others by saying Christianity is true. Only one was prepared to teach it.
While Joanne respected the authority of the parents and pastors, she encouraged the students to continue to consider the concept of truth, reminding them that Christianity--like Islam and many other religions - makes an exclusive claim to truth. She also reminded them that the words "I am the way, the truth and the life . . . no man comes to the Father except by me," were Jesus' words, not hers.
What I find really shocking here is what this story tells us about the state of discipleship, not just of our kids, but of parents and pastors. This story is a wake-up call. We must learn what we believe, why we believe it and then instill it into our children, giving them a biblical view of all of life. We can't stand idly by while relativism undermines the faith of our kids and robs them of the one sure hope they have—and desperately need. Friends, if this story gets to you like it gets to me, it's time we got busy.
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From BreakPoint®, June 20, 2007, Copyright 2007, Prison Fellowship Ministries. Reprinted with the permission of Prison Fellowship Ministries. All rights reserved. May not be reproduced or distributed without the express written permission of Prison Fellowship Ministries. "BreakPoint®" and "Prison Fellowship Ministries®" are registered trademarks of Prison Fellowship
