Today’s teens experience loss in varied shapes and sizes: loss of innocence, loss of security, loss of dreams, as well as daily frustration losses like loss of homework, loss of phone, loss of friendships. And all too many teens face the ultimate loss through the death of classmates, friends, and parents. In my own work as a youth pastor many students navigated through tragic losses and the entire group itself was rocked by a murder/suicide of two recently graduated students.
And yet, the subject of loss/suffering in youth ministry suffers from a resource gap. Given how much teens deal with the disappointment of loss, we see very little resource to help youth workers help teens in this area. Youth ministry has spent a laudable amount of effort in addressing crises and recovery, but very little in front-loading our teens before the crises hit.
One of the biggest reasons for young adults checking out of the faith is because of no good answers to the questions around suffering. It seems, then, that we should explore the subject of loss/suffering with the same gusto that we explore the subjects of sex and dating.
I invite you to follow us for the next 7-ish weeks as we dedicate each e-newsletter and blog/vlog post to the subject of suffering, pulling from InWord’s recently released study on the subject, Lossology 101: Developing a Personal Theology of Loss.
Today’s vlog, in part 1 of 7, is a look at the catch phrase answer to many questions of suffering: “We live in a fallen world.” But what does that answer mean and is it even helpful? Perhaps a detailed (even atomized!) look at Genesis 3 will help. When exploring the subject of loss, Adam and Eve’s fateful bite of the fruit is a good place to start. Check it out below!
Get acquainted with new study on loss here! (Lossology 101: Developing a Personal Theology of Loss)