Youth Group Kids Have A Sneaky Advantage

Recently, Jonathan Haidt, author of The Anxious Generation, was interviewed on The Daily Show. He shared some of the basic points of his book (mainly, that we are over-protecting our kids in the "offline world" and under-protecting our kids in the "virtual world." He talks a great deal about what happened in this generation to bring such anxiety and depression into the mix.

One of the surprising things he mentioned is that religious kids often show greater resilience and struggle less because of the socialization and support that comes with church/youth group attendance. In his own words, he says, "religious kids were always happier than the secular kids, but what happens after 2012, it's quite remarkable in all the graphs, the religious kids get a little more anxious and depressed, but the secular kids get much more anxious and depressed. So, what I'm saying is, especially if you're an atheist, you're going to have to work much harder, you're going to have to be much more intentional about rooting your kid in stable social relationships..."

Did I mention Jonathan Haidt is an atheist?

Parents, that should encourage us! Church involvement is not just one more extracurricular activity competing for space on the calendar. It is formation.

When your family prioritizes church, you are doing more than attending a service. You are placing your child in a network of relationships where caring adults know their name, notice their struggles, and reinforce the truths you are teaching at home. You are helping them practice life with real people in real life. You are giving them rhythms of worship in a culture of distraction. You are showing them that faith is not a private hobby but a healthy priority.

Think about what students gain in a healthy church community:

• Friends who share their values

• Trusted adults beyond mom and dad

• Opportunities to serve instead of constantly consuming

• Conversations that move deeper than surface-level social media chatter

• A place where identity is rooted in Christ, not performance

Does church solve every problem? Of course not. Youth group isn't magic. But it is one of God’s ordinary means of grace for shaping young people.

So here is the encouragement: let's help our kids to prioritize church engagement as we step into summer. Might I suggest camps and mission trips are the perfect way to do that! 

Keep going!
mc