Spiritual Development of the Troubled Teen | Troubled Teen Ministries
Spiritual Development of the Troubled Teen | Troubled Teen Ministries
by Wendy Rogers, Life Coach and Mentor - Co-founder of Abundant Life Academy
Wendy Rogers, Life Coach and Co-founder of Abundant Life Academy teaches troubled teens and their families about the Spiritual Development of the troubled teen. First, according to Wendy Rogers and Abundant Life Academy, troubled teens are really seeking the closeness of God, but more importantly their seeking is overshadowed by their rejection of “religion”. Christian parents have focused their faith and involvement with the Christian church with “denominational programming”, institutional religion, religion that is doctrinal and inclusive, focused on advancing the church instead of the Body of Christ.
Wendy Rogers teaches the parents of Abundant Life Academy that troubled teens have left their faith and Christian heritage, rejecting the family church, and have thrown out the “program”. Wendy Rogers teaches it is time for parents to wake up. In the church we are not teaching truth, we are not preparing youth for the reality of the battle, and therefore the troubled teens are not falling for the religious entertainment approach. If they want entertainment they will get it elsewhere. Wendy Rogers, co-founder of Abundant Life Academy, tells parents that their children need the truth, and need to know who the enemy is… it’s the Spirit of Performance, having to live up to a certain ideal, look a certain way to fit in, act in a certain way to be accepted, and to conform to the norms of the “group” so that they can safely feel “connected”. In doing so, the youth are disconnected to the Holy Spirit, and are defenseless.
Wendy Rogers teaches that troubled teens know the battle, are losing, and most are ready to receive the truth of the Gospel of Christ. But they don’t want “religion”. They don’t want a watered down Jesus. They want to be equipped for the real battle, because right now they have quit fighting, they have given up, and worse yet they have given in. Therefore, discipleship training with the real weapons of warfare; defining grace, love, and “dying to one self” as they warfare tactics that works. True self-sacrificial love, with commitment to serve, and put others before one self.
Children growing up in the church are finding that church leaves a bad taste in their mouth. Most youth programs do not provide spiritual development (preparing the young person for the reality of the battle within). Instead, they “entertain youth” into the church, attempting to compete with the distractions of the world. As if we must make church fun and enjoyable in order to attract you. Our agenda is wrong. When are youth get wrapped up into the world the church DID NOT PREPARE THEM PROPERLY.
We know that Jesus said, "He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.....and the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice....My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." John 10:3-4 & 27. He is driving his point across to "those who have an ear to hear what the Spirit is saying " to them.
You "know" if you are His sheep....or not. And if you know you are...then the normal relationship with Jesus is to be "hearing Him" speak to your heart...and your mind becomes fruitful in response to that "heart hearing". My heart sometimes "knows" He is speaking...He is moving in my life...before my head becomes fruitful, but if I remain in faith, in obedience to Him, humbling myself before Him...trusting Him with all my heart...it is inevitable that my head "knows"...it "hears" what He is saying to my heart...thus giving me the "way to go and the timing to go in."
Life is filled with many complex and complicated issues. It is confusing unless one has the Truth by which to measure it. But to have Jesus, the Way, the Truth, the Life, one must simply turn to Him..."look full in His wonderful face...and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace." (Hymn: Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus) He is watching...He is waiting to see if that is, indeed, what we do; and He definitely seizes the opportunity to "speak to us" in the midst of such times to let us know we are either on the "right track"....or should turn from the track
Equipping Troubled Teens to fight the fight of Faith | Mentorship - Spiritual Development - Restoring Hope
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Spiritual Development of the Troubled Teen | Troubled Teen Ministries
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