Tuesday, March 23, 2010

For your kid's sake

What are you doing this weekend? Specifically, what are you doing this Sunday? I just got this from my Next Generations Pastor here at Ridgeview. I thought it was worth reading and passing on.

In an article by Neil MacQueen entitled “Too Good to Be True,” he offers the following: “What if I told you there was a well-researched and statistically proven program that can:
  • Increase the average life expectancy of your children by 8 years.
  • Significantly reduce their use and risk from Alcohol, Tobacco and Drugs.
  • Dramatically reduce their risk for committing a crime.
  • Improve their attitude at school and increase their school participation.
  • Reduce their risk of rebelliousness.
  • Reduce the likelihood that they would binge drink in college.
  • Improve their odds for a “happy”” life.
  • Provide them with a lifelong moral compass.
  • Get them to wear their seat-belts more often.
Is there such a program? Yes, there is. And it is supported by research from Duke University, Indiana University, The University of Michigan, the Center for Disease Control, Barna Research Group, and the National Institute for Healthcare Research. What if I told you it was free, and only took about 2 hours a week. It’s not a dream. The program is called ‘active church participation.’”

Now let’s discover where we are in our generation when it comes to church attendance. Only 41% of Americans attend church services on a typical weekend. Each new generation becomes increasingly unchurched. Parents of kids under eighteen were the most likely to say they were too busy for church. “Adults who attended church regularly as a child are nearly three times as likely to be attending today as are their peers who avoided the church during childhood.” Further, Barna shows the probability of accepting Christ, segmented by age. “Children between the ages of 5 and 13 have a 32% probability of accepting Jesus Christ as their Savior. The probability of accepting Christ drops to 4% for those who are between the ages of 14 and 18. Those older then 18 have a 6% probability of accepting Christ as their Savior.” You could readily see the importance of taking a child to church.


Excerpt from 'The Jesus Habits'

So, let me ask you again, what are you doing this weekend? Because I'd be willing to bet that it's going to cost you more, contribute to your child and your family's well-being less and not give you nearly the long-lasting return on your time. Are you willing to bet your child's future on it?

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