My Heart to Yours

*Forty percent of America’s children woke up this morning in a home where their biological father doesn’t live. 1
*One in three girls and one in six boys are sexually violated by someone they’re supposed to love or trust by age 18. 2
*Suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15-24 year-olds and the sixth leading cause of death for 5-15 year-olds (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry). 3
*For every older teen and young adult who takes his or her own life, 100-200 of their peers attempt suicide. 4
*Between 500,000 and one million young people attempt suicide each year (American Association of Suicidology).
*Over one million children per year experience the divorce of their parents. 5

*In landmark research, Johns Hopkins Medical School studied 1,337 medical students throughout 30 years to find the common denominator of hypertension, malignant tumors, suicide, mental illness, and coronary heart disease. The most significant predictor of these five ills—a “lack of closeness to parents, particularly the father.” 6
As the pain, pressure, and pace of our day pile up, these kids are getting pounded by, and confused about, everyday life. The effects are everywhere. Broken lives. Broken relationships.

Here is my concern: If young people are experiencing such relational brokenness and lack of trust in authority, how will they be able to relate to God and one another now and in the years ahead. If we don’t help them heal from their pain and teach them to how to build healthy relationships, who will?

In a four-year study of teens, the National Study of Youth and Religion found that:

80% had few or no doubts about their beliefs in the past year
71% feel close to God
65% prayed alone at least a few times a week
61% definitely believe in miracles from God
52% attend worship two or three times a month

There is a desire to know Him and make Him known among our students. But most of the teens in this study couldn’t describe clearly or deeply what they believe or what difference their belief made in their lives.

Who is leading them? Who is helping them find their way?