Comments on: After Graduation, Then What? http://mintools.com/blog/after-graduation-then-what.htm equipping believers for ministry Sat, 06 Feb 2010 03:38:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: MinTools http://mintools.com/blog/after-graduation-then-what.htm/comment-page-1#comment-493 MinTools Tue, 25 Aug 2009 23:19:02 +0000 http://mintools.com/blog/?p=36#comment-493 If all the church has to offer young people is religion, I would certainly agree with you. Religion has little to offer but an institutionalized, lifeless organization made up of a bunch of rules and regulations. The true Christian Church, however, is the gathering together of people who have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. If the Church functions with Jesus as the Head, it is a living organism wherein people experience a purpose and power in coming together. They find grace and love, not legalism and condemnation. Unfortunately, too many churches have lost this focus and so when people, like yourself and perhaps some of these young people, look at the Church, they aren't seeing that vitality and relevancy. If, however, we keep our eyes focused on Jesus and make it about Him, meeting together as the Church, people in love with Jesus, well ... that's not religion! If all the church has to offer young people is religion, I would certainly agree with you. Religion has little to offer but an institutionalized, lifeless organization made up of a bunch of rules and regulations. The true Christian Church, however, is the gathering together of people who have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. If the Church functions with Jesus as the Head, it is a living organism wherein people experience a purpose and power in coming together. They find grace and love, not legalism and condemnation. Unfortunately, too many churches have lost this focus and so when people, like yourself and perhaps some of these young people, look at the Church, they aren’t seeing that vitality and relevancy. If, however, we keep our eyes focused on Jesus and make it about Him, meeting together as the Church, people in love with Jesus, well … that’s not religion!

]]> By: Lee Picton http://mintools.com/blog/after-graduation-then-what.htm/comment-page-1#comment-492 Lee Picton Tue, 25 Aug 2009 22:12:06 +0000 http://mintools.com/blog/?p=36#comment-492 I am both a parent and a grandparent, and I applaud the way young people are leaving church. Maybe they have finally discovered that religion is ridiculous. We have the internet now, and you just can't lie to them any more. I am both a parent and a grandparent, and I applaud the way young people are leaving church. Maybe they have finally discovered that religion is ridiculous. We have the internet now, and you just can’t lie to them any more.

]]> By: MinTools http://mintools.com/blog/after-graduation-then-what.htm/comment-page-1#comment-61 MinTools Thu, 04 Jun 2009 17:13:03 +0000 http://mintools.com/blog/?p=36#comment-61 You are most welcome, Debbie. Thanks for your encouraging words. I pray the <a href="http://mintools.com/family-ministry-resources.htm#parent-curriculum" target="new" rel="nofollow">list of parenting curriculum</a> will be helpful to many. You are most welcome, Debbie. Thanks for your encouraging words. I pray the list of parenting curriculum will be helpful to many.

]]> By: Debbie Kessler http://mintools.com/blog/after-graduation-then-what.htm/comment-page-1#comment-60 Debbie Kessler Thu, 04 Jun 2009 17:06:39 +0000 http://mintools.com/blog/?p=36#comment-60 Dear MinTools, my hat is off to you. A big thank you for creating a parenting curriculum to take to the churches and for parents to instruct themselves. I find your website so valuable that words can not express. You are a God send. Keep up the wonderful work for Christ. Debbie Kessler, Christian Life Coach Dear MinTools, my hat is off to you. A big thank you for creating a parenting curriculum to take to the churches and for parents to instruct themselves.
I find your website so valuable that words can not express.
You are a God send. Keep up the wonderful work for Christ.
Debbie Kessler, Christian Life Coach

]]> By: MinTools http://mintools.com/blog/after-graduation-then-what.htm/comment-page-1#comment-21 MinTools Thu, 30 Apr 2009 21:28:48 +0000 http://mintools.com/blog/?p=36#comment-21 We as the Church certainly should be helping parents in their role. Having parenting classes can be helpful and there is some good <a href="http://mintools.com/family-ministry-resources.htm#parent-curriculum" target="new" rel="nofollow">parenting curriculum</a> out there to help in the process. In response to the comment Debbie Kessler left, I have now listed some resources on the site which you can see by clicking on the parenting curriculum link above. We need to focus in on the adjective she used .... "ongoing" parenting classes. Sometime I believe we think we have done our part as a church when we teach <em>a</em> class on parenting. "Ongoing" support in needed, and in a variety of ways! AND, we need to teach by example. If we want to see parents grow our teenagers up with the love and respect they need, lets, as a church, treat teens that way too!! If they are getting it in the home and the church, it very well could make a difference in their attitude toward life and toward the church. We as the Church certainly should be helping parents in their role. Having parenting classes can be helpful and there is some good parenting curriculum out there to help in the process. In response to the comment Debbie Kessler left, I have now listed some resources on the site which you can see by clicking on the parenting curriculum link above.

We need to focus in on the adjective she used …. “ongoing” parenting classes. Sometime I believe we think we have done our part as a church when we teach a class on parenting. “Ongoing” support in needed, and in a variety of ways!

AND, we need to teach by example. If we want to see parents grow our teenagers up with the love and respect they need, lets, as a church, treat teens that way too!! If they are getting it in the home and the church, it very well could make a difference in their attitude toward life and toward the church.

]]> By: Debbie Kessler http://mintools.com/blog/after-graduation-then-what.htm/comment-page-1#comment-20 Debbie Kessler Thu, 30 Apr 2009 18:25:42 +0000 http://mintools.com/blog/?p=36#comment-20 I think that too often parents do not think ahead when raising children to be adults. Teaching children to be adults is a process. Maybe, parents are too busy making the cash to be able to do a better job. I would like to see churches have an ongoing parenting class. It should concentrate on basics of why we should do what we do. Help parents think beyond the work week and be creative with the living week in their families. I said all that to address that teenagers just want RESPECT. They want us to be proud of them. They want to be adults. Unfortunately do not possess the skills needed right after graduating highschool. They get RESPECT from their peers. If the respect is given them alligence follows. Let us learn how to be the best parents and grow our teenagers up with LOVE & RESPECT. Debbie Kessler, Christian Life Coach I think that too often parents do not think ahead when raising children to be adults. Teaching children to be adults is a process. Maybe, parents are too busy making the cash to be able to do a better job. I would like to see churches have an ongoing parenting class. It should concentrate on basics of why we should do what we do. Help parents think beyond the work week and be creative with the living week in their families.

I said all that to address that teenagers just want RESPECT. They want us to be proud of them. They want to be adults. Unfortunately do not possess the skills needed right after graduating highschool. They get RESPECT from their peers. If the respect is given them alligence follows. Let us learn how to be the best parents and grow our teenagers up with LOVE & RESPECT.
Debbie Kessler, Christian Life Coach

]]> By: MinTools http://mintools.com/blog/after-graduation-then-what.htm/comment-page-1#comment-13 MinTools Mon, 20 Apr 2009 23:27:39 +0000 http://mintools.com/blog/?p=36#comment-13 A book I found insightful to in part answer Deb's question is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0849936047/ministrytoolsres" target="new" rel="nofollow">Right From Wrong</a> by Josh McDowell. There are a couple points he makes that I think we would do well to heed. 1) Use God as the standard or reason by which they measure their behavior, not a bunch of do's and don'ts. We abstain from sex outside of marriage because God is pure and faithful, not because "thou shalt not..." We need to get beyond the Bible stories and the rules and regulations to the God behind them. Connect them with a God who is worthy of their allegiance. 2) Show the benefit or pragmatic value of following God's ways. Help them see that it makes sense and is their best interests. Emphasize the truth of Jeremiah 29:11. Perhaps if our teaching in the church focused more on this young people would be more interested in hanging around since they seem to be asking "What's in it for me?" A book I found insightful to in part answer Deb’s question is Right From Wrong by Josh McDowell. There are a couple points he makes that I think we would do well to heed. 1) Use God as the standard or reason by which they measure their behavior, not a bunch of do’s and don’ts. We abstain from sex outside of marriage because God is pure and faithful, not because “thou shalt not…” We need to get beyond the Bible stories and the rules and regulations to the God behind them. Connect them with a God who is worthy of their allegiance. 2) Show the benefit or pragmatic value of following God’s ways. Help them see that it makes sense and is their best interests. Emphasize the truth of Jeremiah 29:11. Perhaps if our teaching in the church focused more on this young people would be more interested in hanging around since they seem to be asking “What’s in it for me?”

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