"In modern American society, the most important factor for understanding the intergenerational transmission of religion to children is their parents"(91). At what point do we call churches "brainless" for not shifting their entire budgets to focus on equipping parents for this?
Namely, given the post-1960s decentering of institutions (denominations), & the fact that data shows that the greatest cause of kids adopting their parent's faith are daily conversations at home, what kind of church spends more money on youth/children's programs than parents?
If a church is not providing specific resources for parents to have daily theological conversations about the intersection of faith and the issues of life, is it a wise place to be? In the church, children adopt faith because of parents and basically no one else, period. Data!
Your "student pastor" is probably a waste of money unless he/she spends 90% of his or her time teaching parents Bible, theology, philosophy, cultural analysis, etc. Let them go, or change their job, & use that money instead to transfer faith to children. amazon.com/Handing-Down-F…
Standard objection: "what about the non-Christian students?" Ans: "Get them inside the homes of Christian families to participate in those conversations as well over the dinner table, driving around town, etc & eventually invite their parents over for dinner once a week as well."
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