I read an interview with Tufts University developmental scientist, Richard Lerner who challenges the myth of the “troubled teen” in his book, The Good Teen (Smithsonain.com/lerner). Now the reasonings of a secular psychologist would normally garner no more than a passing glance from me. But I had just been perusing some thoughts by the late Dr. Stanley Bushey, former professor at International Baptist College. Dr. Bushey’s dear wife Jane occasionally makes available some of her husband’s vast collection of notes, articles, etc. The notes that I was reading are a collection of his thoughts on youth culture. And some of Dr. Lerner’s observations were a faint echo of Dr. Bushey’s Biblical propositions.

Both Dr. Lerner and Dr. Bushey challenge the earliest scientific study of adolescence by G. Stanley Hall in 1904. Dr. Hall, it seems, “believed that all of our ancestral adult stages were compressed into a single life span, and that adolescence was the period when we went from being beast-like to civilized. He started adolescents off with this perception that they [teenagers] were biologically constrained to be in ‘storm and stress’—his phrase. For most of the 20th century, people used this model not only to study adolescents but describe them, to talk about them as dangerous to others.” (Smithsonian, September 2007, p. 28)

After thoughtful consideration of the learned Dr. Hall’s assumptions, my conclusion is: What a nut job! And what a revelation to discover that the idea that all teens must go through a “rebellious stage” is based on evolutionary myth and psychological hogwash!

In contrast, Dr. Bushey says,

1. The Bible does not present adolescence as a separate stage of life; the usual pattern was a transition directly from childhood to adult responsibilities (usually around age 12).
2. An extended period of adolescence when independence expands without similar expansion in responsibilities and expectations of maturity is not ideal, nor the norm.
3. An extended adolescence is not inevitable; a young person can still move gradually into adult responsibilities without going through a 7-10 year “holding pattern” of immature behavior.
4. Expecting teenagers to grow into maturity, preparing to take adult roles and [to] establish a new family unit, is a normal healthy pattern which reflects God’s purposes.
5. Teenage conflict with parents and rebellion against their standards is not inevitable, nor is it a healthy way to achieve independence.
6. The ideal for a young person is not independence; the goal is maturity in character and skills, developed under the leadership of parents until the young person is ready to establish [his or her] own home.
7. The contemporary American youth culture, however, is not a legitimate culture. It is rebellion against the culture.

Wow! Words to live by there, huh? In his book, Dr. Lerner defines mature teens using five C’s [definitions added]:

1. Competence—not just academic but social, vocational, health competence, etc.
2. Confidence—that they are secure in what they know to be true and have had experience in sharing that truth with others
3. Character—that it’s fundamentally important to do what’s right
4. Connection—the ability to work with parents, teachers, and coaches as well as peers and siblings
5. Caring—a sense of justice and compassion; that is, thinking of someone else other than oneself

Interestingly, that’s what we do around here. We work with parents through the church—by way of youth group, as well as the pre-school, the academy, and the college—to aid parents in transitioning their children from babies to adults by educating their minds, encouraging their hearts and guiding their hands to exalt our Lord, edify the brethren and evangelize the lost.

David Stertzbach II, B.A.
Music Pastor