I blame the church.

This post has sat as a Draft since April 15th, because I didn't know IF I should say it, or how to say it properly. Yet, it needs to be said, so I will say it.

Maybe I shouldn't say this, but it has been on my heart lately and I feel that it needs to be said.

I BLAME the church for the problems our youth are having. The "church" can be described as many things. In this context, I blame everyone. I blame church pastors,elders, and deacons. I blame parents of these kids, and I blame myself, for not showing a better example.
I feel like kids are the one group at church that can't talk about their problems. I have had a discussion with 3 or 4 people about what I can and what I can't discuss with youth when it comes to struggles. I sometimes feel they don't understand what the college kids or adult go through. If the Sexual Brokenness taught me anything, it was that these kids DO STRUGGLE WITH THIS STUFF, sometimes more than the rest of us. They struggle with the pornography, the checking out of the girls at school and everything else. The only thing that is different than an adult/college kid and a high schooler, is I know others who struggle with it who I can talk to about it. THESE KIDS don't have that!! Instead they just get slapped on the wrist or have their computer privileges taken away, or are not allowed to hang out with certain friends,ect. I was told to not share personal struggles with some of the high schoolers, yet when they asked me if I struggled with something, I was honest with them. For these kids, there is no healing, just guilt and the feeling of being the ONLY KID who deals with this. I blame this on the church, not any specific church, but rather the ENTIRE church body.

Maybe the church doesn't know how to deal with it? I don't know, but I have seen BROKEN kids who feel hopeless because the church has not stepped up and said "Hey kids, we know what you are going through. Seek a close friend to keep you accountable. Seek out your parents, no matter how awkward. Seek out another adult or older friend that you can talk to. If you can't find anyone to talk to, come to a leader in the church" Instead the church is speechless. Maybe they feel that they lack a way to deal with the epidemic. Maybe the don't WANT to deal with it?


If I know anything,it is this.
They NEED to learn to deal with it,because there are a ton of kids who need someone to talk to, to tell them it's ok to cry, to help them find the forgiveness that is found in Christ.