This time around, how about...
Illustration
This time around, how about dealing with the last sentence in this text: "And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"
We've probably all pondered the fact that the Christian faith is never more than a generation away from extinction. Clearly one of the most important responsibilities that we have as the church is to pass the faith on to the next generation. Has there ever been a generation of parents among whom the question has not been asked, "Will our children have faith?" Has there ever been a group of Sunday school or confirmation teachers who have not wondered, "Will these children have faith?"
In the preface of his book Will Our Children Have Faith, (The Winston-Seabury Press, 1976) John H. Westerhoff III speaks of how churches are responding to these questions. "Today while some people are paralyzed by discouragement, others are all too enthusiastically latching onto every new suggestion or idea." We need to avoid these two extremes. We cannot forfeit this generation to unfaith. At the same time it will do no good to grab onto the glitziest new glossy colored curriculum with the greatest punch-outs if it contains no food for faith.
The Bible is the number one all time best seller. What would happen if people would go back to reading it with their children every day? When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?
We've probably all pondered the fact that the Christian faith is never more than a generation away from extinction. Clearly one of the most important responsibilities that we have as the church is to pass the faith on to the next generation. Has there ever been a generation of parents among whom the question has not been asked, "Will our children have faith?" Has there ever been a group of Sunday school or confirmation teachers who have not wondered, "Will these children have faith?"
In the preface of his book Will Our Children Have Faith, (The Winston-Seabury Press, 1976) John H. Westerhoff III speaks of how churches are responding to these questions. "Today while some people are paralyzed by discouragement, others are all too enthusiastically latching onto every new suggestion or idea." We need to avoid these two extremes. We cannot forfeit this generation to unfaith. At the same time it will do no good to grab onto the glitziest new glossy colored curriculum with the greatest punch-outs if it contains no food for faith.
The Bible is the number one all time best seller. What would happen if people would go back to reading it with their children every day? When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?
