Saving the 21st Century Christian youth; the Church’s Mandate

In Ghana like many other countries in the continent, marriage is constructed according to the custom of ethnic group of which the couples live. This usually includes a religious ceremony and a civic registration commonly known as a wedding. Marriage in Ghana is seen as a union of two families from different and unique background in a moment of solemnity. However, before couples get to marry, they engage in dating or courting for some time to test their compatibility level and to find ways of complementing their failures.

The Collins Mini Dictionary defines a date as, “an appointment to meet someone or go out with them especially someone with whom you are having, or may soon have, a romantic relationship (with).” As a result of “regret factors” experienced by some men and women in their relationship lives, the church has become a marriage “market” for God-fearing people. This situation has become so critical to the extent of putting undue pressure on our youth.

Coupled with the above albatross, is the presence of certain stringent relationship rules and regulations persisting in some churches. In one particular church headquartered in North Kaneshie,[ in Accra – Ghana] the youth especially the young men have been told to get their own place of accommodation before they take a decision to date or marry a “sister” in the church or outside. This has become too nightmarish that one young man confided in me how “belittled and pressured we experience in our waking moments”. 

The world pattern of behaving has become an issue and this is putting undue pressure on the Christian youth to conform. Dating in the world has been characterized by activities that amount to sin and without any shrewd of doubt, this has become a norm. Sex in particular has become the “sine qua non” in the world view of dating and this has proven tempting to the Christian youth who has been told from the Sunday school right to the Adult Fellowship to desist from “fornication” and other accompanying sin. The desire of one to conform to the dictates of the world has caused many a Christian to fall victims to sin to their chagrin. 

A call to our churches is for them to purge their ranks of stringent rules and regulations that expose the youth to conform to world’s way of doing things. If the church is no safer and cannot provide the needed sanctuary, then we must ask ourselves if we are living up to our calling. Providing a congenial environment for our youths to function without compromising their values and faith is imperative for the 21^st century church to shepherd the “sheeps” to the right place.

The Great Book in 1 Peter 2: 15 says, “For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorance talk of foolish men” (NIV). This is what Christians can do better - proving to the world that, “anybody born of God overcomes the world…” and we have the will and the faith to do this.

The church deserves better and we must do our best to protect the faith from marauders.