Does God Have a Face?

I see no hope for the future of our people ifthey are dependent on the frivolous youth of today, for certainly all youth are recklessbeyond words…

When I was young, we were taught to be discreet and respectful of elders, but the present youth are exceeding wise and impatient of restraint.

Hesiod (800 BC)

Have things changed?

Valuegenesis 2

• Look at only a few points– Grace– Faith Maturity– Standards of the Church

• Now What?

GraceI know God loves me, no

Matter what I do.

I am loved by God, even when I sin

0

50

100

Definitely agree

90%

0

50

100

Definitely agree

88%

…our youth in addition to affirming a grace orientation, increasinglyreject a law orientation.

…but 67% of young people in our first study did not understand the process, now 50%.

Faith

• Undeveloped Faith- low horz. & low vert. 28% (43%)

• Vertical Faith – hi vert. & low horz. 18% (8%)

• Horizontal Faith – hi horz. & low vert. 14% (24%)

• Integrated Faith – hi both 40% (25%)

Faith Maturity

05

1015202530354045

VG1

VG2

22%

44%

100% Increase

Vertical Faith balanced against Horizontal Faith

Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Faith

0204060

Intrinsic Extrinsic

• “…when teachers are interesting, when teaching is considered good, when discipline is fair, and when teachers both praise and listen to students, the more intrinsic the religious experiences become.”

44% 6%

Troubling Stats

• 60% (47%) felt sad or depressed during the last month

• 17% (16%) have been physically abused by an adult

• 20% have been sexually abused one or more times

• 15% (13%) had made multiple attempts at suicide

• 11% (17%) have had one or more experiences of sexual intercourse

Teach life choices

05

10152025303540

6th

7th-8th

9th-10th

11th-12th

VG2

VG1

Reading BibleOnce a day or more

29%

39%

Frequency of Prayer

01020304050607080

6th

7th-8th

9th-10th

11th-12th

VG2

VG1

Once per day or more

Reading Ellen White

02468

101214

6th

7th-8th

9th-10th

11th-12th

VG2

VG1

Once per day to once per week

“How Committed Are You to the Teachings of the Church”

0102030405060

VeryM

uch

Somew

hat

Disagreed

87%

Church Standards

• Three of the 27 fundamental beliefs were strikingly different:– Remnant church– E.G. White– Investigative judgment

Church Standards

“If doctrines that make Adventism particularly unique continue to diminish at the rate they are evidenced by this research, these Adventist beliefs will cease to be meaningful to the youth of the church.”

Spiritual - Adventist

“…young people in the Seventh-day Adventist Church are spiritual,

yet less and less traditionally

Adventist.”

What Should We Do?

• Encourage private devotions for children• Stress personal relationship to God

through individual involvement with God’s Word and the writing of the church.

• Provide a grace-oriented presence• Build on their growing understanding of

how God saves humanity by:– Clear teaching– Compassionate mentoring– Active experiences that reflect the love and

grace of God in all of our relationships with youth

Does God Have a Face?

• Yes, it is every teacher and pastor, every parent and grandparent.

• It is every school and every church.