Message Recap-Beyond Moralistic Therapeutic Deism

Our message today was geared toward helping youth to feel as though they matter in the church and understanding what they need most. Our pastor recommended a book called Soul Searching, which is recently released and it talks about today's youth and their religious and spiritual lives. From what I gather the book points to the fact that kids look up to their parents more than what society would have people to believe. And what kids are looking for is an authentic relationship with an adult and experiences that show that God matters. I agree with all of this and I guess I don't see it as new information. But it is good information to keep us on track as a church, and as individual families. I guess the reason churches have been noted to fail youth is that they apparently promote "Moralistic/Therapeutic Deism."
Moralistic-Believing religion is about doing good
Therapeutic-Religion is about being happy. Okay, I take personal offense to this one, as a trained therapist who sees the "need to be happy" not a product of "therapy" but an issue of materialism and consumerism. Churches are competing with each other like your favorite products for your loyalty. That is the issue there and the turnoff to teens and adults alike who can see through it. Therapy, in terms of psychotherapy is all about building and creating a safe, supportive relationship that also holds one accountable to changes in thinking and behavior. Therapy is mostly effective due to the relational aspect of it. It is about helping people heal and get unstuck, not about making them happy. Sorry, it just irritates me when people don't understand what therapy is all about and then mock it universally and then propose their own solution (healthy supportive authentic relationships) which is what therapy IS all about, and they claim it as their own new idea. I am glad though that they finally get it; relationships matter, alot!
Deism-God seen as a creature who helps us feel better when things go wrong. Again, I think this is a product of the "feel good church" that wants everyone to feel comfortable and relaxed not at all challenged, lest they go to "the happy church down the road."
So, the problem I think stems from the church trying to function as a business and many adults who have adopted that mindset see nothing wrong with it. That is the way everything functions right? But kids, they haven't had to survive in that kind of world yet, so they can see things with fresh eyes, and what they are being told about God and what they see happening in the church doesn't add up for them.
So, yes, those of us who are creating "church" for our kids, modeling what religion is all about need to take a good hard look at the lessons we are teaching them. They do want to know that God matters, that true transformation takes place in the lives of people, not that church is an entertaining place to be. We've bought into a system that doesn't work in the church. And we've relied on what market research tell us that people want out of their "religious churchgoing experience" rather than trust that God peers deep into the souls of his creation and knows exactly what they need.