A Driving Faith
I often tell the students I work with that growing up in the Church is a lot like learning to drive a car. There are two parts to learning to driving: active learning and passive learning. Active learning happens when you take a driving course or study the driver's handbook. Usually you are around 15 years old when that process begins. Passive learning starts from the moment you are placed in a car seat as a baby. You spend your whole life watching your parents drive. You spend fourteen years in the passive schoolhouse of being a passenger.
If you want a license, however, there is a point where you have to pursue active learning and take the test. Many kids that grow up in the Church never come to a point where they turn from passive learning to active learning. In other words, they never make their faith their own. They may even be "baptized" or "confirmed" (depending on the tradition of the particular denomination) but it is just something their parents do and maybe they believe, but they aren't quite sure.
The truth is, however, we are all called to a personal faith. The point is to move from being a passive participant to being an active participant. I call this a driving faith and the name has two meanings. It is a driving faith in the sense that you have taken the wheel and moved from being a passenger to the one who is steering. It is also driving in the sense that, if we have a personal relationship with Christ, it continues to drive us, even when we encounter doubts and difficulties.
The articles and writings on this site are designed as reflections on faith and what it means to believe. Though intended for those in the age range of 16-25, they are exclusively for that age group. They are here for anyone who wants to take the time to reflect on his or her own faith.
If you want a license, however, there is a point where you have to pursue active learning and take the test. Many kids that grow up in the Church never come to a point where they turn from passive learning to active learning. In other words, they never make their faith their own. They may even be "baptized" or "confirmed" (depending on the tradition of the particular denomination) but it is just something their parents do and maybe they believe, but they aren't quite sure.
The truth is, however, we are all called to a personal faith. The point is to move from being a passive participant to being an active participant. I call this a driving faith and the name has two meanings. It is a driving faith in the sense that you have taken the wheel and moved from being a passenger to the one who is steering. It is also driving in the sense that, if we have a personal relationship with Christ, it continues to drive us, even when we encounter doubts and difficulties.
The articles and writings on this site are designed as reflections on faith and what it means to believe. Though intended for those in the age range of 16-25, they are exclusively for that age group. They are here for anyone who wants to take the time to reflect on his or her own faith.
