This is a story about a Christian family. In fact, that's their name, the Christian family. There's Mommy Christian, Daddy Christian, and their precious little daughter, Chrissy Christian. Chrissy's about three years old, and she's playing on the floor with her Barbies. It's OK; they're Christian Barbies... each one has a dove tattooed on her hip. Little Chrissy is having her Barbies raise their hands in the air while she sings 'Jesus Loves Me'. this blesses Mommy Christian's heart, so she picks Chrissy up, sets her in her lap, and asks, "Do you want to ask Jesus to live in your heart?"

Of course, Chrissy has no idea how a big man like Jesus can come live inside her heart, but she does know that sitting in Mommy's lap is a lot more comfortable than on the cold floor, so she says, "Sure, Mommy."

Mommy Christian says, "Repeat this prayer." Mommy says a few words, Chrissy repeats them; Mommy says a few more words, Chrissy repeats them, and, praise God, little Chrissy Christian is saved and on her way to Heaven.

Then Chrissy becomes a teenager, and meets a boy... Troy. Troy the Boy. Troy is a lifeguard at the beach Chrissy frequents, and they have fallen madly in love, because, after all, he's seen her in her bikini! It's OK, it's a Christian bikini. There's a dove enbroidered on the behind.

Chrissy rushes home and tells Mommy and Daddy Christian that she's in love. Daddy Christian asks, "Is he a Christian?' And Chrissy says, "Ummmm, I don't know. It never came up."

Daddy Christian smiles a knowing smile and says, "Invite the boy over for supper."

The next day, Troy shows up at the house. Daddy gives him a hearty hand shake and says, "Son, if you're going to date my daughter, you need to accept Jesus into your heart." Troy has no idea what this means, but he sure wants to stay with Chrissy. So he says, "OK."

Daddy says, "Repeat this prayer." Daddy says a few words, Troy repeats them, Daddy says a few more words and Troy repeats them. Praise God, Troy is saved, and now it's OK for the young couple to date.

Like all good 'Christian' teens, they get married right out of high school so as not to fall, or jump, into temptation... But then, in three, or five or ten years, people are wondering why she's sleeping around, or why he's beating her, or why their hearts have simply grown cold to each other, and it's because they never really had what people told them they had... they never really had what they thought they had.

We do young people a disservice to cheapen the Gospel to an echoed prayer, especially without adequate explanation and true conviction of sins. Worse, it's an offense to the Gospel itself. Jesus died for more than just empty, token words. He died to redeem our every thought, word, belief and action. He calls us to total surrender to Him,and to cling completely to His grace alone when we fall short. Anything less is not Christianity according to Jesus.