· By Mr. Sim · ~2 min read
Helping a Sandton Teenager Read the Bible: A Christian Parent's Guide to the Difficult Years of Faith
Helping a Sandton Teenager Read the Bible: A Christian Parent's Guide to the Difficult Years of Faith
The Scene
The fourteen-year-old in Midrand has started asking questions. 'Why does the Bible say that?' 'Why do we go to church?' 'Why do good people suffer?' The parent is quietly terrified.
James 4:6 — *"God opposes the proud but shows favour to the humble."*
The South African Christian in the situations described above is not alone. The Bible has been speaking to these situations for two thousand years. The Wednesday Bible study in Parkmore has been hearing these passages read, discussed, and applied for ten years. What follows is a distillation of what the Bible says and what we have learned from the journey.
Doubt Is Not the Enemy
The Bible is not afraid of questions. The Psalms are full of questions. The parent who is frightened by the teenager's questions has misunderstood the Bible.
What the Bible Says About Raising Children
Proverbs 22:6: 'Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.' The parent starts. The parent does not finish. The teenager makes the faith their own.
Practical Steps for the Parent
Keep reading the Bible yourself. Read together without making it an interrogation. Let the teenager ask the questions. Keep the door open. Pray specifically.
A Word About the Church
The teenager who questions the Bible at home may also question the church. The parent is invited to distinguish between the faith and the church community. The faith is the inheritance. The church community is the vehicle.
A Prayer for the Parent of the Questioning Teenager
Father, we do not have the answers. We have only the questions, and the teenagers who are asking them. Give us patience. Give us humility. Keep the Bible on the table. Keep the door open. Amen.
A Closing Prayer
Father, we bring this struggle to you. We ask for your wisdom, your strength, and your presence. We ask for the community to hold us. We ask for the hope that does not disappoint. Amen.
*Johannesburg Bible Study Church meets online every Wednesday at 7:30pm for a Bible study that is intentionally local and biblically grounded. The Bible study is free, open to anyone, and free to join or to leave. Call Mr. Sim on +27 77 487 1295 or Ms. Dora on +27 67 442 4461.*
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Naledi P.
Parkmore
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I attended my first Sunday picnic with my family. The vibe was warm without being overwhelming. The kids ran around Mushroom Farm Park, the adults talked, and someone brought extra blankets for the cool afternoon.
Johan v.d.M.
Sandton
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The Korean class has become our family Sunday ritual. My wife and I take the class, the kids play. It is the only Sunday we look forward to in the month.