THEME: Christians
today do not know the Bible well. Steps must be taken to improve.
QUESTIONS:
What examples are there to indicate Biblical illiteracy?
- Fewer
than half of all adults can name the four gospels.
- Many
Christians cannot identify more than two or three of the disciples.
- According
to data from the Barna Research Group, 60% of Americans can’t name even
five of the Ten Commandments.
- According
to 82% of Americans, “God helps those who help themselves,” is a Bible
verse.
- A
Barna poll indicated that at least 12% of adults believe that Joan of Arc
was Noah’s wife.
- Another
survey of graduating high school seniors revealed that over 50% thought
that Sodom and Gomorrah were husband and wife.
- A
considerable number of respondents to one poll indicated that the Sermon
on the Mount was preached by Billy Graham.
What problems does this result?
- compromise
on moral questions
- ignorant
of basic concepts of faith, such as justification by faith
- preaching
losing centrality
How to change this trend?
- starts
at home: parents to teach children
- in
church: emphasize the centrality and urgency of biblical teaching and
preaching
THEME: absentee
and permissive parenting has led to bad children (anti-social, emotionally
fragile, dangerous and violent when grown up)
QUESTIONS:
How does the society deal with problem children?
What is in the checklist for ruining a child’s life?
- lack
of personal responsibility in child-rearing, rely on caretakers
- giving
in to a child’s desires on all matters,
- facilitating
the child’s bent toward materialism,
- letting
the child believe that he is “the boss of the universe.”
- failure
to force children toward maturity,
- allowing
children to spend too much time in front of the television (and with video
games),
- giving
children too much privacy,
- failing
to give children responsibilities in the household
- lack
of parental supervision, permissive parenting
What are the factors that contribute to the problem?
- “excessive”
use of alternative child-minders
- too
much access to the media
- too
many activities, no free time or down time for thinking
What are the solutions?
- shared
morality
- love
(nurture) and discipline
- developing
both intelligence and moral capacity through active play and engagement
with parents
What should Christians do, beside adopting the above solutions?
- understand
that children are also sinners, just as adults are
- parents
to teach children to obey, respect, and honor their parents—and to obey,
respect, and honour God