Rumpspringe
Some Amish groups have what they call "rumshpringe" (sp?) It's when a child turns 16 they get to "run around" in the world for a year or more and decide whether they would rather join the world or join the church. It's done in secret. Some choose to stay within the bounds of their church's rules, court and get married after a year. Others get pregnant, buy cars, and do all kinds of "worldly things" and then choose the church. Others just choose the world and never return.
What an awful practice! Yet I'd like to put a comparison to the "rumshpringe" and the college years. Do we in the church not have a similar practice of sending 17-22 year olds off to get the "college experience?" "They need to experience life away from mom and dad." or "They need to experience the 'real world'". Is what I've heard so often. So we send them away to live in a dorm, do whatever they wish all unbeknownst to parents until after the worst has happened. And even in the most conservative of colleges, the worst still happens.
Yet the same 3 situations come about. Some know what they believe, obey it and enjoy college without rebellion. They meet a fine man/woman, marry and continue life as always. Others rebel to their heart's content. So "free" for the first time in their lives from mom and dad. Then when those years are over they "settle down" and turn to God. Some of those repent and regreat horribly the things they have done, while others only turn halfheartedly, if that's possible. Others rebel and never "return" to their parents' faith.
I'm not saying Christians should never go to college. I'm not saying if you send your kids to college, you're sending them into rebellion. But I do wonder - how many "church" kids are grounded in what they believe long before they leave the confines of mom & dad's four walls? How many moms & dads just say "oh well, they need to experience the world if they're ever going to appreciate Christ." And turn a blind eye to their child's rebellion? How many think that at college they will get a sound understanding of their faith? And how many think their children are being obeidient, yet once out of sight, they are anything but?
I'm not perfect, and right now my daughter is not even 2 years old. I pray that she will grow to love the Lord and her heart's desire will be to obey Him. But I need to be a dilligent teacher. I can't let her college professors one day teach her theology - My husband and I need to instruct her now and all through her growing up years. We need to hold her accountable for her choices and not write them off as simply "teenage rebellion."
Are we being faithful to "teach [the scriptures] diligently to your children...talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise...?" (Deuteronomy 6:6) My prayer is that the church will wake up and realise that our children need solid, Biblical Truth now, not just "when they're older." And we as parents need to be an example in "speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity." (I Timothy 4"12b)
What an awful practice! Yet I'd like to put a comparison to the "rumshpringe" and the college years. Do we in the church not have a similar practice of sending 17-22 year olds off to get the "college experience?" "They need to experience life away from mom and dad." or "They need to experience the 'real world'". Is what I've heard so often. So we send them away to live in a dorm, do whatever they wish all unbeknownst to parents until after the worst has happened. And even in the most conservative of colleges, the worst still happens.
Yet the same 3 situations come about. Some know what they believe, obey it and enjoy college without rebellion. They meet a fine man/woman, marry and continue life as always. Others rebel to their heart's content. So "free" for the first time in their lives from mom and dad. Then when those years are over they "settle down" and turn to God. Some of those repent and regreat horribly the things they have done, while others only turn halfheartedly, if that's possible. Others rebel and never "return" to their parents' faith.
I'm not saying Christians should never go to college. I'm not saying if you send your kids to college, you're sending them into rebellion. But I do wonder - how many "church" kids are grounded in what they believe long before they leave the confines of mom & dad's four walls? How many moms & dads just say "oh well, they need to experience the world if they're ever going to appreciate Christ." And turn a blind eye to their child's rebellion? How many think that at college they will get a sound understanding of their faith? And how many think their children are being obeidient, yet once out of sight, they are anything but?
I'm not perfect, and right now my daughter is not even 2 years old. I pray that she will grow to love the Lord and her heart's desire will be to obey Him. But I need to be a dilligent teacher. I can't let her college professors one day teach her theology - My husband and I need to instruct her now and all through her growing up years. We need to hold her accountable for her choices and not write them off as simply "teenage rebellion."
Are we being faithful to "teach [the scriptures] diligently to your children...talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise...?" (Deuteronomy 6:6) My prayer is that the church will wake up and realise that our children need solid, Biblical Truth now, not just "when they're older." And we as parents need to be an example in "speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity." (I Timothy 4"12b)
posted by Rebecca at 10:36 AM
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3 Comments:
Great post Rebecca. Articulating the Gospel in words and actions to the up and coming generation is a truism and is worth fighting for. "Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain."
Having a "not quite two year old" myself, I hear what you're saying. Though I do think there's a difference between rumpsringe, where the intent is for the child to experiment, and sending an 18 year old to college.
I've always thought that amish thing such a weird thing to do!! It seems just so irresponsible. I understand what you say about the college thing, but sometimes I think kids can't always grow spiritually in their parents church. Its like they need a church in their college area to stand as an individual, where they are not always referred to as such and suches little girl when they are like 23!!
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