Life With Isaac Part 2

The video posted below is an amazing ministry that a group called Young Life had going to kids with disabilities. The lady in the video, Elizabeth Thompson was fired from staff on November 30th. The reason for the firing was as Tony Jones writes:

"she refused to tell developmentally disabled teenagers that they are depraved and separated from God. You see, Elizabeth ran YL’s Capernaum Ministry in Durham/Chapel Hill. She was presented with the Non-Negotiables statement from YL (an earlier version) and asked if she could assent with all point in the 9-page document. She said no. She said that the kids with whom she works cannot understand “separation from God” as it is dictated in the penal substitutionary theory of the atonement. So she was fired."

This is an interesting topic that our Jr. High team just discussed at our last meeting. Can Jr. High students grasp the idea of salvation and repentance and substitutionary atonement and the kingdom of God? My answer to them was, "I don't know." These are massive ideas that my mind cannot fully grasp. The fundamental evangelicals voted last year to raise the age of accountability from eight to ten. So that means that before the age of ten, children are not accountable for their sins.

That is weird to me to have that hard of a doctrine. Luke 12 says,
"The servant who knows what his master wants and ignores it, or insolently does whatever he pleases, will be thoroughly thrashed. But if he does a poor job through ignorance, he'll get off with a slap on the hand. Great gifts mean great responsibilities; greater gifts, greater responsibilities!

God knows what each is able to grasp and comprehend. I believe it is our responsibility as adults for our children to be the best gardener we can. We have to provide the best environment for our kids to grow in God, at home, church, school, wherever. Do everything within your power to raise your kids in an environment of God awareness. If our homes are proper greenhouses and we are proper gardeners, good results are the most likely outcome, even though it is never guaranteed.

Is Isaac capable of understanding salvation and human depravity and atonement? I have no idea, but he will grow up in an atmosphere and environment of God awareness, prayer, Bible stories, love, knowledge of right and wrong, as much as possible. I think Young Life will be much poorer without Elizabeth and her ministry to the "disabled" kids.