In order to realise the worth of the anchor, one needs to feel the stress of the storm.”
Corrie Ten Boom
In this metaphor, the anchor represents faith or hope, while the storm represents life’s trials. This idea echoes Hebrews 6:19, from which the BB motto “Sure and Steadfast” originates: “We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain.” (ESV)
A ship’s anchor can fail for several reasons – strong winds, currents, poor bottom conditions, insufficient scope (anchor line length vs. depth), or being too small. When an anchor fails, the consequences range from inconvenient to catastrophic. In any case, safety is compromised. Similarly, if Christians lose connection to Jesus – their spiritual anchor – they lose the hope and security that only come through him, navigating life’s waters alone.
Worryingly, research shows that two-thirds of young people who identify as Christians in youth groups abandon their faith when they enter higher education or the workforce. Their faith is sometimes likened to a jacket – worn in group settings but discarded when they feel free to do so. Some return to faith later, but many don’t.
There are various reasons faith doesn’t “stick”, but many of these challenges relate to the Encounter and Expand stages of the BB Faith Journey – those that follow Engage and Explore. If a young person hasn’t truly encountered Jesus, they may still be at the Explore stage. Without motivation or opportunity to continue exploring once they move on, it becomes easy to drift away.
Even those who have made a personal commitment to Jesus often struggle to expand their faith due to limited time and busy programming. The storms of life aren’t always dramatic; sometimes faith falters because it gets entangled in the distractions of modern life – social media, shifting truths, and global uncertainty. These factors combine to create unstable spiritual conditions.
How can we help young people develop a lasting faith?
In Faith Beyond Youth Group, Kara Powell and her team offer five strategies for helping young people develop resilient faith. Encouragingly, the BB already supports many of these, providing fertile ground for strong spiritual roots.
- Cultivating trust
Trust grows through relationships that foster identity, belonging, and purpose. Young people need safe spaces to explore their faith and ask tough questions – something BB Companies already emphasise.
Reflective question: How can we create more opportunities for young people to ask challenging questions about life and faith?
- Modelling growth
Leaders must live out their faith with integrity and consistency, showing that Christianity isn’t limited to Church but is a daily lifestyle. Your example matters – but don’t assume young people automatically understand your motivations.
Reflective question: How do we help young people see that our lives reflect a relationship with Jesus, not just being “nice people”?
- Teaching for transformation
Jesus used transformational teaching to help people live lives aligned with their faith. Likewise, we must go beyond teaching facts to engage young people in meaningful discussions about beliefs and experiences. This often relates to how we support the Explore stage. Are we helping young people take steps beyond it?
Reflective question: How can we create opportunities for young people to progress past the Explore stage in their faith journey?
- Practicing together
Young people need real opportunities to put their faith into action. The BB is strong in this area – community service and justice initiatives abound – but faith deepens when young people see a connection between belief and action.
Reflective question: How can we expand opportunities for young people to apply their faith in practical ways?
- Making meaning
Young people need help connecting faith to their everyday choices, relationships, and career aspirations. The BB plays a key role here, encouraging them to see how faith informs life decisions.
Reflective question: How can we guide young people in recognising how faith shapes their daily lives?
Taking practical steps
To help young people stay anchored in their faith as they transition to adulthood, consider these practical steps:
- Reflect on the five strategies
As a leadership team, discuss the points above. Identify one or two areas to prioritize and develop.
- Consult your Chaplain
Ensure your Company has a registered Chaplain and draw on their wisdom and experience around faith development.
- Start a Spaces group
Consider starting a Spaces group in partnership with your Church. These groups are designed to help young people explore their faith at a deeper level and cultivate lasting belief.
Learn more at spaceshub.org
- Prepare young people for life transitions
Equip teens heading to higher education with tools to stay connected. Ministries like Fusion (fusionmovement.org) can support this transition by connecting students to faith communities.
By building trust, modelling genuine faith, offering transformative teaching, practicing together, and helping young people find meaning, we can ensure their spiritual anchors hold – no matter what storms lie ahead.
