Research is finding that sharing our faith with those who aren’t Christians is on the decline – especially with younger people. There are many contributing factors, but one may be that young people don’t understand what they have been taught well enough to teach it to someone else.
The problem starts when children are beginning to learn about the Bible. There are a lot of words in it that they won’t use in regular conversation. If they have been exposed to Bible classes and church services enough though, many can give a rote definition of words like justification. When asked to explain the terms in their own words, however, the response is usually silence.
As they approach the teen years, many young people raised in a Christian home have heard numerous Bible stories. They may even be able to tell you the plot lines of many of them. When asked to explain what God wants us to learn from those stories and what God wants us to do because of those lessons, however, once again there is often silence.
Young people will not be able to share a faith they can’t explain in their own words. They may not even be willing to become a Christian if they don’t understand what they are supposed to believe and do well enough to put it in their own words. So what can volunteer Bible class teachers and parents do to help?
“How would you say that in your own words?” should become a standard question we ask kids and teens. If they give a rote response, then ask, “How else could you say that if I didn’t understand what you just said?”. Keep working with them until they can easily explain their faith in their own words. Then encourage them to share that knowledge and understanding with the world!