Since September 11, 2001, America has been engaged in a focused war against terror! At the time of the writing of this article, 4,906 lives (4,296 in Iraq and 610 in Afghanistan) have been given and approximately 858 billion dollars have been spent since September 11, 2001 in the war with Iraq and Afghanistan. These sacrifices certainly cannot be minimized. And yet, underneath the surface of our culture, another war on terror is raging— for the hearts and minds of our children.
There are about 71 million young people (including an estimated 33 million teens) who make up what is currently the largest generation in American history (John Walker, “Family Life Council Says It’s Time to Bring Family Back to Life,” June 12, 2002). Whether we like to admit it or not, the culture machine has a strategy to capture our youth through video games, websites, music, television and movies. Age 13 has been called the branding age, because many decisions are made for life-long buying habits and practices. If the so called “media moguls” can capture our kids by the age of 13, they believe they have captured our kids for the rest of their lives.
Unfortunately, these media moguls thrive on the assumption that most parents are irresponsible or completely ignorant of what the media is selling and what the kids are buying. Is it possible that their assumptions are correct and we have allowed the media of our culture to kidnap and brainwash our kids while they sit in our own living rooms? Is it possible that we have allowed another war on terror to enter our own homes?
While some naïve Christians seem to think we are winning the war for our kids, the statistics show otherwise. According to Thom S. Rainer and the book The Bridger Generation
…• Builders (born 1927-1945): 65% Bible-based believers
• Boomers (born 1946-1964): 35% Bible-based believers
• Busters (born 1965-1983): 16% Bible-based believers
• Bridgers (or Millennials, born 1984 or later): 4% Bible-based believers
Consider the ramifications of these statistics. While the majority of Americans today call themselves “Christians,” only four percent of today’s 71 million young people affirm their commitment as Bible-based believers!
Recently, I had the privilege of spending some time with Ron Luce, the president and founder of Teen Mania. Ron made an interesting statement that burdened me deeply when he said that this present generation will be the first generation raised by technology outside the home rather than their parents inside the home. Ron also went on to say that 88% of our teens in church are leaving the church after graduation. The reality of statistics above and the result of “graduation evacuation” should concern us deeply. Today’s teens will soon be entering their 20s and setting the pace for American culture.
So where do we go from here? Onward Christian Soldiers! Let us not grow apathetic or numb to the battle. Let us not become weary of taking a stand against the media moguls that are seeking to capture our children’s innocence.
Let us not get tired of showing up at school board meetings, desiring “a say” in what our children should hear and read in the classroom.
Let us not get frustrated at being dismissed as lightweights because we want our children to learn solid truth and biblical values.
Let us not grow weary of championing the pro-life cause and being branded as bigoted, right-winged, fanatical, conservative fundamentalist pigs.
Let us not become so hardened by the violence, the killing, the teenage pregnancies, the drugs, the alcohol, the deaths and the suicides that we retreat to the comfort of our churches and just hope it all goes away.
Parents…do not surrender your kids to pop culture.
Pastors…do not disengage from youth ministry and subcontract out your pastoral involvement to your youth pastors and directors.
Churches…do not give the leftovers of your church budgets to the youth ministry department.
LET US ENGAGE IN THE OTHER WAR ON TERROR!
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