“Dare to be a Daniel:” Youth and Denominational Pride

There’s an old song in the Happy Songs for Boys and Girls (19520 songbook called “Dare to be a Daniel.” The lyrics read:

Standing by a purpose true
Heeding God’s command,
Honor them the faithful few!
All hail to Daniel’s Band!

Dare to be a Daniel
Dare to stand alone,
Dare to have a purpose firm
Dare to make it known!

While this song is old and may seem outdated, it carries an important message: just as Daniel stood up for the Lord while in a foreign land, there is a mission for our youth to stand up for Jesus! 

A 2014 study conducted by the Institute for Church Ministry showed that Adventist youth are typically proud of their denomination; 78% of those surveyed say that they “always” or “often” let their friends know that they are Seventh-day Adventist. Only 4% said that they rarely or never reveal their denomination.

The same study also asked youth about the religious affiliations of their peers.  About 44% of the youth say that most of their friends are Adventists. Forty percent state that the majority of their friends are Christian. Only 12% of the respondents reported their friends were spiritual but not religious, while 4% stated that most of their friends were completely secular.

What does this mean for us?

It is clear that Seventh-day Adventist youth are encountering either non-Adventists or non-believers in their everyday lives. It is our responsibility to equip them with the skills to navigate the waters of faith-sharing with ease.

The website Student Devos (2014) shares some tips for youth on how to share their faith.

1. Be bold in what you believe. By being confident in your beliefs, others will actually respect you more.
2. What you know is enough. You don’t have to be a pastor, an elder, or a Bible scholar to share your faith.
3. Focus on your story.  Sharing your personal story about what God has done for you is one of the most powerful ways for you to share His love with others.

By teaching our young people to be bold “Daniels” for Jesus, we are enabling their success; when they are put in situations where they have the chance to share their religion and their faith with others, they will be able to do so with confidence!