1. The Family & the Home Lesson 19: Losing Our Young People

2. Lesson 19 Losing Our Young People

3. Many parents are heartbroken over the loss of their children; some parents lose their children to physical illness and death, others to spiritual illness and death (Lk. 15:11ff) It is estimated that 50% of young people “leave the faith” (in denominations, in the Lord’s church) Why are young people lost? What can we do to prevent this?

4. Losing Our Young People Evil influences (Prov. 4:24; Eph. 5:11; 1 Thess. 5:22) – parents should guard their children against evil influences (music, movies, magazines, Internet, drugs, alcohol, fornication, education, entertainment, etc.) Church problems (Gal. 5:15) – parents should look for and promote a healthy local church environment (stand for truth, Bible-based, balanced preaching, no fussing and fighting, running down brethren, worldly brethren, etc.)

5. Losing Our Young People Lukewarm spirituality (Rev. 3:1, 15-16) – parents should be fully committed to the Lord; not have one foot barely in the church (lack of attendance, tardy, will not get involved in the local work, etc.) Personal choice (Prov. 1:8, 30; Ezek. 18:5, 10; Lk. 15:11ff) – parents can do their best but often the child refuses the good and departs later in life

6. Losing Our Young People (Summary) We are losing our parents We are losing our culture We are losing our local churches We are losing our young people

7. What Can Parents Do? We need to give our children proper spiritual values (faith, honesty, work, worship, etc.) We need to prioritize what is most important (God, Bible, church services, etc.) We need to keep our children from evil influences (friends, technology, etc.) We need to get our children to be their own followers of Christ (active, faithful Christian)

8. What Can A Young Person Do? A young person can… Learn from good teaching and training (Prov. 22:5; 23-22-26) Learn from the worst and determine to be different (Ezek. 18;14) Return after losing his way (Lk. 15:11ff) Choose the right course (Psa. 119:9-16)