In light of recent news articles regarding teen pregnancy and the increasing number of states moving away from federally funded abstinence education programs, the importance of churches speaking truth in matters of sexual health and the need to equip parents to dialog with their families at home cannot be emphasized enough.
It is essential students be taught the truth that abstinence until marriage and faithfulness within marriage is the healthiest, best lifestyle choice and unquestionably in their own best interest. However, we must step back and honestly ask ourselves from where teens can be expected to learn this truth—TV? Magazines? Movies? The Internet? My Space or Facebook? Our culture has such a distorted view of human sexuality that few places, if any, outside the home or Christian community exist where a teen can get anything close to an accurate perspective of this significant area of human life.
Research consistently confirms the critical role parents have in their children’s sexual decision-making. In fact, the quality of a child’s relationship with his or her parents is one of the most important influences on sexual decision-making. A new study released by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America and the MetLife Foundation “…reinforces the fact that kids live up to parents’ expectations as well as down to them….what parents choose to discuss with their teens can have an impact on the actions their children take. When parents talk, most teens actually do listen.” (LifeSiteNews.com, 6/10/08).
Sadly, when it comes to discussions regarding sexuality, most parents aren’t talking. There are many reasons for this: embarrassment, shame and guilt from past sexual decisions, fear of not knowing what to say, sexual dysfunctions or relationship struggles of our own, to name just a few. However, none of these reasons are more important than our children. Their futures are worth whatever it takes to equip them to live a life of sexual integrity.
In his book, Talking to Your Kids about Sex, Mark Laaser, Ph.D. states, “…the greatest enemy of sexual wholeness is silence.” As parents, we can combat this enemy by taking advantage of teachable moments at every age and every stage of our child’s development. We do not have to have all the answers, but rather, be willing to put this subject of the table early with our children and keep it there as a topic for open discussion. Our goal is to have a lifetime of effective, age-appropriate conversations with our kids about sex in loving and spiritually mature ways. Equipping them to walk in truth and seeing them live in the freedom truth brings will be the reward.
Give me understanding and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart.
I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts.
Psalms 119:34, 45
Lisa Newton, Director of Christian Education
It is essential students be taught the truth that abstinence until marriage and faithfulness within marriage is the healthiest, best lifestyle choice and unquestionably in their own best interest. However, we must step back and honestly ask ourselves from where teens can be expected to learn this truth—TV? Magazines? Movies? The Internet? My Space or Facebook? Our culture has such a distorted view of human sexuality that few places, if any, outside the home or Christian community exist where a teen can get anything close to an accurate perspective of this significant area of human life.
Research consistently confirms the critical role parents have in their children’s sexual decision-making. In fact, the quality of a child’s relationship with his or her parents is one of the most important influences on sexual decision-making. A new study released by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America and the MetLife Foundation “…reinforces the fact that kids live up to parents’ expectations as well as down to them….what parents choose to discuss with their teens can have an impact on the actions their children take. When parents talk, most teens actually do listen.” (LifeSiteNews.com, 6/10/08).
Sadly, when it comes to discussions regarding sexuality, most parents aren’t talking. There are many reasons for this: embarrassment, shame and guilt from past sexual decisions, fear of not knowing what to say, sexual dysfunctions or relationship struggles of our own, to name just a few. However, none of these reasons are more important than our children. Their futures are worth whatever it takes to equip them to live a life of sexual integrity.
In his book, Talking to Your Kids about Sex, Mark Laaser, Ph.D. states, “…the greatest enemy of sexual wholeness is silence.” As parents, we can combat this enemy by taking advantage of teachable moments at every age and every stage of our child’s development. We do not have to have all the answers, but rather, be willing to put this subject of the table early with our children and keep it there as a topic for open discussion. Our goal is to have a lifetime of effective, age-appropriate conversations with our kids about sex in loving and spiritually mature ways. Equipping them to walk in truth and seeing them live in the freedom truth brings will be the reward.
Give me understanding and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart.
I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts.
Psalms 119:34, 45
Lisa Newton, Director of Christian Education
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