In response to post about teen pain below Rebecca offers part of her story:
I really struggled with finding friends during that time, and didn't really feel much acceptance from anywhere. My parents pushed me to perfectionism that I still struggle with, which tended to isolate me from my peers further. The absolute worst part though, was being treated like dirt by other kids who were in my youth group and should have been my friends and support. Their rejection was the worst. Maybe that's because our parents didn't show us how to have a true community in the church. "Casual church friends" - HORRIBLE thing for a church!
Again, this so stresses the absolute need for real, authentic relationally intimacy within our church communities.
With the pressures placed on Christian kids to pursue the idol of the American Dream and being perfect growing up was tough for some of us.
It seems that casual relationships in our churches may be part of the Enemy's strategy to keep families broken and places of severe woundedness. If nobody really knows you or your junk then they can't speak Truth and Life into your brokeness; and there will be no healing (James 5).
Church people typically do not want to be that vulnerable. GASP!!! "We can't let anyone know that we don't have it all together, it ain't Christian to vulnerable and honest. So smile, it's Sunday"
Thanks Rebecca!
Does anyone have ideas on how the trend toward pursuing the American dream and being "good, perfect Christians" can be stopped while you're currently in high school, or college, or just starting your career (either after high school or college)?
Or even better, how are your parents currently pressuring you and not realizing it and your home church functioning with casual relationships?
Posted by anthony at February 25, 2005 09:21 AM