I believe…With these words our Confirmation Class students have begun to develop the faith statements that will be such an important part of the process of becoming church members. There are nine great kids in this year’s class and I am encouraged and impressed by what they are writing. You’ll see their work on June 4 when they are confirmed during morning worship.

Some of the students write long and theologically sophisticated statements, others write brief but intensely personal statements. I know that some of our students have little choice about coming to confirmation, but I also believe that the statements they are writing are sincere and important to them.

As Missy and I teach the class we are always haunted by memories of those Confirmation kids past who write faith statements that are true and meaningful and join the church with genuine intentions to grow in their faith and become more involved in the life of the church. But then by the time high school graduation comes around, they’re embarrassed to be a part of the recognition in worship because they weren’t around much for the next three years.

This, of course, is not only a Park Church problem, nor is it particularly new. But it may be particularly important as our young folks head into a world of increasingly open hostility to Christian faith, the lure of the material, and the deification of the self.

There are nine very bright and articulate ninth graders in this year’s confirmation class. They are developing faith statements that are solid and good. I’m praying that all of them will choose to publicly declare their faith on June 4. But that’s just a beginning. Then they have to live out of and into those faith statements. Then their actions begin to show what they really believe and what they really don’t believe. Pray that our kids really will believe that Jesus Christ is both Savior and Lord!