During my many years in the IFB system I noticed a common thing occur with families. When the kids get to be in their teenage years problems started to occur. Not long there after many families were gone from the church. In asking staff about them I would hear so many times that the teenagers had become rebellious and mom and dad would not stand up to them and correct them. The parents took the kids side on issues and finally the family chose to not follow the Lord hand have left the church. Not long after they were gone I would hear the classic pulpit story slamming the family and letting the congregation know how wicked they were thus we were to have nothing to do with them. Of course the families name was never mentioned but the story was told so that everyone knew who was being preached about.
I now have come to a conclusion that the kids were not rebellious but rather had come to realize the hypocracy from the pulpit in so many areas. In my family it was my children who saw it all first although we were not far behind in that regards. The families who left did not leave in rebellion to the Lord but rather in obedience to Him and his Word. That is why when ever I would run into them later down the road they were doing fine and had gone on to be faithful to our God.
I now have come to a conclusion that the kids were not rebellious but rather had come to realize the hypocracy from the pulpit in so many areas. In my family it was my children who saw it all first although we were not far behind in that regards. The families who left did not leave in rebellion to the Lord but rather in obedience to Him and his Word. That is why when ever I would run into them later down the road they were doing fine and had gone on to be faithful to our God.