Gavin Calver on faith and young people

Gavin Calver

Gavin Calver, the national director of YFC in the UK, has recently published a revised and updated version of his book 'Disappointed with Jesus. Why do so many young people give up on God?' Jonathan Bellamy chatted with him about the book, YFC and young people in Britain today.

Jonathan: Have you ever struggled with giving up on God?

Gavin: Oh definitely. When I was 14 I was banned from Sunday school for six months which had a profound effect.

Jonathan: What were the things that you wrestled with that caused you to question God?

Gavin: A number of things. One thing was my parents were church leaders. Often as leaders kids it's quite difficult because there are a number of expectations placed upon you. Another thing that I struggled with within the church was the fact that you weren't allowed to really ask questions. You had to just go along with the status quo. I also found church quite passive as a young person. I found I was naturally rebellious and I'm not sure if the church knows how to work with non-conformist young people. Yet now 15 years on, I find my rebellion redeemed and instead of kicking against the church I'm able to kick against the world in the name of Jesus.

Jonathan: Everybody's story is different, but do you think there is a pattern when it comes to falling away from church and God at a young age and then coming back again?

Gavin: To be honest, no. That's to say that if there was some clear correlation or patterns we'd all be able to sort it out. What I have noticed though is the importance of Christians remaining engaged with young people who may be on the edges, who may be questioning. They may be asking questions and the last thing they need is to be ditched by the church at that point. I've also noticed that it's important to not write people off as having made a decision to not follow the Lord, because none of us know what happens in that quiet place, or what happens when the Christian parents aren't watching.

Jonathan: How important are relationships?

Gavin: It's fundamental for parents to maintain a relationship with children. Relationships are the most important thing. If you can keep that going then you're are off to a good start.

I think for youth workers and significant adults, there's a famous youth worker quote. It says, "It takes one significant adult to change a young person's world view of morality and lifestyle". Those relationships are important, but we mustn't under-estimate the relationship with peers. I get really excited when I find a bunch of peers and young people who want to change the world for Jesus and who are going to try to do that together.

Jonathan: In terms of motivating a young person to try to do something like 'change the world for Jesus', how much is that down to the young person's faith and engagement with God and how much of it is down to the influence of a church?

Gavin: I think it's both. With young people we can set the bar too low, because we can talk about our half-hearted version of Christianity or we can talk about a Christianity that turns your life inside out, upside down and back to front. I think at times we're in danger of falling into what Bonhoeffer warns us of, which is cheap grace. Cheap grace is making the gospel something that people want at that moment and not something that transforms every area of their life. I think when the gospel invades an individual and it transforms every area of your life, then you become a dangerous person in the hands of the Lord.

Jonathan: Do you think that church can sometimes fall into habit, that it becomes religious, for want of a better word and that young people see through that and ask, where's the real life here, where's the real power?

Gavin: I think we can all be in danger of falling into religious practices. I think the problem today is that kids are growing up in a post Christian culture, whereas a lot of people who go to church grew up in a Christian Britain. The problem is that if a young person follows Jesus it's so counter cultural and yet there are some older people who've been more nurtured in the faith. I think we need to be able to cross that dividing line and I think there's a real challenge from young people for older Christians to be totally sold out for Jesus.