Why Mormon teens are so devoted & what we can learn from this - Missional Thought of the Day

[James Nored]

As I am reading through Almost Christian, What the Faith of Our Teenagers is Telling the American Church, I want to share with you some thoughts on the contents. In yesterday's post, I wrote how this book seeks to interpret the data from a massive study that was done of American teenagers and their faith.

What was discovered through this study was that most teens are learning from their parents and their churches that Christianity is simply about helping people become nice and to provide some help when needed, but it really has little call on their lives.

There are, of course, notable exceptions. About 8% of teens are highly devoted and have a high sense of calling from their faith. Unfortunately, this highly devoted group consists most predominantly of Mormon teenagers. And in reading about the faith formation of Mormon teens, I begin to see why.

Note the following about Mormon teens and their faith:

• About half of Mormon teens get up at 5 AM each morning to go to "seminary" for four years This is where they learn Mormon faith, belief, and behaviors. And this seminary is usually taught, not by a youth minster, but by a parent. "Seminary is frequently taught by a parent and typically involves reflexive practices like journaling about one's life and spiritual growth, as well as practical advice on how to plan and save for a two-year mission commitment to service and evangelism."
• Highly devoted Mormon teenagers "tend to have highly devoted parents who are married and well-educated. They are more likely than other youth to say their parents love, accept, understand, and closely monitor them."
• Nearly half of Mormon teens report having given a presentation in church in the last six months, and nearly half attended a meeting in which they were part of a church decision.
• "Mormons are almost twice as likely as other teenagers to pray with their parents at times other than meals or worship (79%) and to talk about God or religion as a family almost every day (74%)."
• The Mormons have designated Monday nights as "family home evenings, forbidding Monday evening temple and ward activities and creating curriculum for nuclear families to gather for devotions, religious instruction, and wholesome activities."
• The purpose of all of this faith formation is mission. Molly, a Mormon teen used as an example in the book, says that life's purpose is to (in her words) fulfill "the mission you were supposed to come here for; help whoever you were supposed to help, . . . be the example you're supposed to be." The Mormons are creating outward-focused, mission-oriented teens, with all that they teach and train pointing towards a two year, voluntary mission that Mormon teens save and plan for.

How many of our Christian parents, families, and churches can say that we have this kind of intense, intentional teaching and training of our children? Most of our teens--again, reflecting us--live pretty good lives, are "nice." and may attend church as an extra-curricular activity. But precious little faith formation is happening in the home. Few Christian families have family devotionals. Almost none have a 4 year seminary taught by a parent. Most Christian parents, and therefore teens, struggle in talking about their faith with non-Christians. Mission is not the driving focus or culmination of faith formation in virtually any youth "program," and certainly not in most Christian families. The idea of having teens save up for, pay for themselves, and plan for a two year Christian mission is nowhere to be found in most Christian families.

Maybe the Mormons have learned something about faith formation that we have forgotten. Faith formation must have its primary focus in the home, taught by the people that teens respect and listen to most--their parents. It must be intentional. It must be a significant part of their lives, not an add-on. It must be challenging, sacrificial, and at times, counter-cultural. It must focus upon mission-training. It must be made time for and taken seriously by families and the faith community.

The Mormon theology is totally off and falls outside of historic, orthodox Christianity. They deny that Jesus is God, believe in multiple gods, believe that God is physical in form, that humans can become gods, and a whole host of other wrong beliefs. But they are raising strong families, with devoted kids, and apparently, they know something about faith formation and making disciples.

What can we learn from these findings? What do we need to change in how we form and shape our teenagers faith to make it more effective?

[Sarah]

Mormons aren't motivated by evangelism or altruism. All of them are striving for godhood, which one can't attain unless they do EVERYTHING they are supposed to do. No seminary? No mission. No mission? No faithful Mormon spouse. No spouse? No children. No children? No exaltation. (This could go on and on.) Mormons are great people, but one is always left wondering, what is their TRUE motivation for anything that they do?

We are not motivated by fear...we don't motivate our kids by fear. Being motivated by true LOVE is much a much harder calling. But I agree that we don't challenge our kids enough. They are "pew sitters" usually until they are out of college....and by then many are gone.

[James Nored]

Ann, I think that you make some key points here. Mormon teens are encouraged to own their faith--I believe, by teaching them to share their faith. When we vocalize our beliefs, it reaffirms in our own minds what we have said. This is doubly true when we share these beliefs with others.

The key thing that you said what that teens are given a mission and a vision. This is where we are often sorely lacking in our teens' faith formation. If we make their mission and vision not getting pregnant and staying off of drugs, well, they may achieve that. But this will not lead to committed Christ followers. And it will not reach the world.

Wicca, Islam, and Mormonism are the three fastest growing faiths in the US. No Christian denomination is growing as a percentage of the US population. We must wake up!

[Ann Dunagan]

It's interesting that instead of heading straight to college after high school, young Mormon graduates are sent on a two-year mission to "defend" their faith and to lead others to Mormonism. During this very "molding" time in their lives, Mormon young people are focusing everything in their life to winning others to "their" belief system. Maybe the point we can learn from this is the fact that Mormon parents and leaders motivate their young followers to personally "own" their own religion, and they are trusted with the "big" responsibility of sharing it with others, even while they are still teens and young 20-year-olds. They are given a vision and a mission. By the time they finish their two year mission commitment, they head to college (often BYU), find a fervent Mormon young person to love, they get married in the temple (with ceremonies of life-commitment to Mormonism as well as to each other) and far too often -- but for the saving grace of God -- they're "in" for life.