Adulting

I just finished a series of messages on family life that ran from Mother's Day to Father's Day. The messages were timely, biblical and much needed. Unfortunately, the ones who most needed to hear them were not present. I'm talking about young people who are starting out in life unsure of what is expected of them or how to proceed. 

My heart is troubled by young men who have had no healthy fathers teaching them how to become a man. How do such young men learn what it means to be a loving husband, a father? A large percentage of young people grew up in single-parent homes due to divorce or the absence of a father or mother. Many young women grew up never knowing the unconditional love or a father so they sought love in other places.  What do they look for in a potential husband when they've never known a healthy marriage? I read recently about a young woman who wanted to learn to cook but didn't know anyone to teach her. She never knew her mother and never learned how to cook or how to be a wife and mother. Where do these young people learn these life skills?

Some try to learn them from movies and television programs. Back when the popular TV programs were Father Knows Best and Leave it to Beaver, that might have been an acceptable option. MILF Manor and 90 Day Fiancé are not.

This is an area where churches can make a difference. Young adults are struggling to understand who they are, their purpose in life and how to live various aspects of their lives in healthy ways. They are hungry for direction and truth, and the church can help provide that. Many churches have developed ministries specifically for young adults to help them find the answers to the questions they are asking. Those churches who do this well are growing as young people are telling their friends these are safe places to come with their questions and challenges.

I'm not sure I've met a church that didn't express an interest in reaching young people, and yet I saw very few churches willing to meet young people at their point of need. They expected young adults to fit in to what the church was doing and were frustrated that so few were interested in doing that. They seemed to forget that many of these young adults were involved in the church during their childhood but left it when they felt it no longer spoke to their needs.

How can churches speak biblically to the needs of young adults? How can we address the gaps left in their lives due to family circumstances beyond their control? The good news is that our churches have much to offer young adults if we are willing to meet them in their areas of need.