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Lesson 1 Introduction

The Not-So-Sticky Faith Reality

For this lesson, have students and parents seated at different tables. Be sure to have a discussion leader at each table. Play 0:00 to 2:43 of Sticky Faith Group Bible Study by Dr. Kara Powell video. By the Numbers 40-50 The percentage of kids who graduate from a church or youth group who fail to stick with their faith in college. 20 & 80 The first number: the percentage of college students who leave the faith but had planned to do so in high school. The second number: the percentage of college students who leave the faith but had fully intended to stick with it. 16 The percentage of college freshmen who feel well prepared by their youth ministries for what they encountered after graduation. 30-60 The percentage of youth group graduates who abandon their faith and the church but then return to both in their late twenties. That may seem like good news, but heres the problem: Those young adults have already faced significant forks in the road regarding friendship, marriage, vocation, worldview, and lifestyle, all while their faith has been pushed to the back seat. 50 The percentage of full-time college students who binge drink, abuse prescription drugs, and/or abuse illegal drugs. 5.5 The amount in billions that college students spend each year on alcohol. This is more than they spend on soft drinks, tea, milk, juice, coffee, and schoolbooks combined.

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College seniors have an average of this many hookups (this term refers to a multitude of sexual behaviors without any expectation of emotional commitment) in their college career. The percentage of youth group graduates surveyed who drank alcohol during the first few years in college. (69 out of 69)

Table Talk Question 1: All of these numbers are disturbing. But which of these statistics bothers you the most? Why? An Observation from A College Senior: Transitioning out of high school into college is like youre leaving on a giant cruise ship. Youre heading out of this harbor and everyones waving you off. Lets say this ship is your faith. As soon as you start sailing out to this new port called college, you realize youre in a dingy. You dont have this huge ship, and youre completely not prepared, and your boat is sinking! Unless theres someone with a life raft whos ready to say, We got you. Come right here. This is where you can be, and this is where you can grow, youre done. Is the faith of our young people going to look like this (cruise ship) or this (dingy)? Meet the Students This book is the result of survey research and the authors own observations from Scripture and from experience. Here is some brief info on the students who were surveyed for this book: 384 high school seniors from different regions across the US All involved in church youth groups 59% female | 41% male 82% live with both father and mother Median GPA is 3.5 3.99 83% White/Caucasian | 8% Asian/Asian American | 3% Hispanic/Latino 2% African-American | 1% Native-American | 3% Other Average church size: 500-900 members Average youth group size: 50-75 students

What is Sticky Faith? 1. It is both internal and external. Sticky Faith is part of a students inner thoughts and emotions and is also externalized in choices and actions that reflect that faith commitment. It involves whole-person integration. It is both an internal set of beliefs and an external way of life. 2. It is both personal and communal. Sticky Faith celebrates Gods specific care for each person while always locating faith in the global and local community of the church. Youre not automatically a Christian because you go to church (thats the personal element), but on the other hand, you cant be a faithful Christian without the church (thats the communal element). 2. It is both mature and maturing. Sticky faith shows marks of spiritual maturity but is also in the process of growth. And truthfully, we are all in process. Table Talk Question 2: How would you describe or define a faith that sticks? What traits does Sticky Faith have? The Head of the Table It seems that the typical college student sits down at a table full of new and interesting worldviews and people. Instead of allowing faith to be merely one of many voices clamoring to be heard, those with Sticky Faith had determined that their faith would sit at the head of the table. This is what we are trying to accomplish in this church family. The Winchester Church of Christ Youth and Family Ministry Mission Statement: Partnering with families to prepare young people for a lifetime of loving God, loving others, and following Jesus.

Parents, Parents, Parents Straight from the book: Let me give you some good news from our research: your kids are more connected to you than you might think. We asked graduating seniors to rank five groups in terms of the quality and quantity of support they received from them. Those five groups were friends inside of youth group, friends outside of youth group, youth leaders, parents, and adults in the congregation. Which group did they rank number one? Parents. More good news: our research shows a relationship between this parental support and Sticky Faith. The authors go even further. They say, its who you are that shapes your kidHow you express and live out your faith may have a greater impact on your son or daughter than anything else. And one more thing: its never too late and its never too early to start building Sticky Faith in your kids. Table Talk Question 3 Question for Parents: How does it make you feel to think that you are the most important influence on your childs faith? Question for Students: Would you say that your parents are the most important influence on your faith? If so, how does that make you feel? If not, who would you say has the greatest influence on your faith? Lets End With God There is no Sticky Faith silver bullet. There are no guarantees. From the authors: As we share our research with parents, including parents who are grieving the way their children have strayed from the Sticky Faith path, we are repeatedly reminded of the God who transcends all research and all easy answers. We are struck by how much we need to depend on God for wisdom and strength for ourselvesUltimately, the Holy Spirit, not us, develops Sticky Faith in our kids. Lets close with this thought, and then pray about it: Our top suggestion is this: trust the Lord with your kids and continue to askmaybe at times begthe Lord to build in them a Sticky Faith.