Lasting Divergence

I want to pass on another wonderful online resource, a blogsite written by the authors of reThink, the book I reviewed in yesterday’s post. Steve Wright and Chris Graves have taken their message to the blogosphere in an attempt to bring family and church together in youth ministry. It’s just getting off the ground, but if you want some really thought provoking posts to read, check out their site, Lasting Divergence.

Here’s an example of something that will get you thinking:

It’s amazing where wisdom will sometimes choose to surface. Consider the following statement:
“Studies have shown that parents are the primary influence on their children’s choices and decisions… and that is why we’re proud to offer help to parents. Recognizing that parents have the greatest influence on their children’s decisions, the Family Talk program helps… by encouraging open, honest communication between parents and children.”[1]

Makes perfect sense, right? Here’s another:
“Nearly three out of four parents believe their children’s friends and classmates have the most influence… Yet contrary to what parents think, kids say mom and dad have the biggest impact on the choices they make.”[2]

How about this one:
“So you’re between the ages of 13 and 24. What makes you happy? A worried, weary parent might imagine the answer to sound
something like this: Sex, drugs,and a little rock ‘n’ roll. Maybe some cash, or at least the car keys. Turns out the real answer is quite different. Spending time with family was the top answer to that open-ended question… Parents are seen as an overwhelmingly positive influence in the lives of most young people. Remarkably, nearly half of teens mention at least one of their parents as a hero.”[3]

At this point you may be wondering where I found these quotes. Focus on the Family? American Family Research Council, maybe? How about the National Network of Youth Ministers? If you guessed any of those three you would be wrong. The first quote is from an Anheuser-Busch publication found on www.familytalkonline.com. The second is from www.MVParents.com, a website of the Coors Brewing Company. The third is from a study conducted by MTV and the Associated Press. Whether it’s a Christian organization or a secular one, all the research points to the fact that parents are the primary influence of their children.

There is a lot of other research posted on Lasting Divergence that emphasizes the same thing: parents are the ones who have the greatest impact on their children’s thinking. Whether secular or Christian, studies show our children look to us for advice, counsel, reassurance and encouragement.

Isn’t that how it always works? Researchers always end up corroborating what the Lord commanded us to do thousands of years ago. If we would just follow His plan for our lives, our families would be stronger and our children wiser, more prosperous and able to pass God’s Word down to their children.