Talking to Kids

So last week I got to give the message at the high school group. The message was really an adaptation of a lesson I did in "Faith in Film," on "The Exorcism of Emily Rose." I had given the message once before, was secure in my points, and thought I knew what to expect.

Of course it didn't go exactly as I drew it up. One of the things I love about speaking to youth is the unpredictable nature of it all. Kids minds work in mysterious ways, and that always makes for some fun questions. You never get what you expect, and I certainly got some great, unexpected responses last Wednesday.

But what was really encouraging was how much these kids wanted to dig into these topics, find some answers, and really see what the Bible is all about. It was encouraging.

Some have asked why talk about "Emily Rose." Well, I think the film brings up some themes that all Christians should consider. In fact, the film was written and directed by a Christian and is very intentional in it's ability to address serious spiritual topics.

We don't talk about demons or the evil one much in the church. I have been a Christian nearly all my life and I could probably count on one hand the number of sermons I've heard preached on demons. And I'm not alone.

Biola University's alumni magazine had an article around the time "Emily Rose" was released talking about the lack of understanding most Christians have in this area. It's gotten so bad that some professing Christians believe demons are a myth.

I strongly believe that knowledge is the key to growth, understanding, and deepening in our faith. We can't be afraid to learn, study, and grow, we need to embrace those things that we don't understand and find a way to strengthen our faith through it. Hopefully that's what those high school kids experienced last Wednesday.