Developing of an approach to sex education for the adolescent (Through the membership guidance program of the Bethel Church of Indonesia in Java)

Abstract

To begin a program of sex education in a church without a department of Christian Education is an almost impossible task. However, given this situation, it is advisable not to begin directly with sex education itself. Instead we should choose an approach which stimulates the acceptance of the idea of sex education or family life education. To achieve the above purpose successfully, two steps should be taken: 1. There should be field research to determine the knowledge and interest of the adolescents concerning various aspects of the sexual experience. At the same time, research must determine the attitude of pastors towards sex education along with their own equipment to bring about valid sex education of teen agers 2. There should be developed a basic philosophy of sex education which is biblically and scientifically valid. Both steps were taken in this thesis. In the first place, a questionnaire was developed to gather data about the sexual knowledge of adolescents of the Bethel Church of Indonesia, and specifically on the island of Java. Another question was developed to determine the attitude of the Bethel Church's pastors towards sex education as well as the kind of information they would bring to their task. The field research revealed the following data: 1. With reference to adolescents: More than 75% of the adolescents do not have an adequate knowledge of sexual matters because they lack instruction and literature. The only sources of information available to them are popular magazines and novels which contain unchristian ethics and philosophy. The research also indicates that the adolescents feel a need for instruction and are open and willing to accept any instruction by the experts appointed by the church. 2. With reference to pastors: Most of the Bethel Church's pastors (about 80%) acknowledged a need to instruct their young people but they felt ill-equipped for this ministry because of a lack of suitable materials. Most of the literature on sexual themes is found in the large cities only. There are no Christian book-store in smaller places. The Bethel Church does not have any literature on sexual education to help its pastors. Guidelines for a philosophy of sex education centered around two foci, the physiological - psychological development of persons as sexual beings and the theological basis of sex as God- given. It was indicated that sex is a universal biological function Body physiology influences sexual behavior. The development and maturing of the sexual glands in puberty causes the changes in characters behavior and sexual feelings and experiences. The girl experiences her first menstruation during this period and the boy his first ejaculation. Both find changes in their sex organs. The basic theological thought about sex is that God created man from the beginning as male and female. There is no harm talking about sex in the real meaning because sex is a gift from God. Persons are created as sexual beings with the purpose of being a homo procreandi for procreation and homo communicandi for union. Sex is a means to fulfil God's purpose to continue the human race and as a means to express love between the man and the woman. The sexual relationship is a good gift from God but this as all good gifts has been marred by the effects of sin on human thought will and action. The forgiveness and the grace of God in Jesus Christ are a constant human need. On the basis of the facts above, the first step that should be taken is to provide pastors with the training needed to conduct valid sex and family education. Secondly, sex and family education for the adolescent must be integrated into the Christian education program of the Bethel Church.