David Elkind writes concerning adolescent identity construction:

"Identity formation requires a kind of envelope of adult standards, values and beliefs that the adolescent can confront and challenge in order to construct and test out her own standards, values and beliefs...Today, however, adults have fewer standards, values and beliefs and hold on to them les firmly than was true in the past.  the adolescent must therefore struggle to find an identity without the benefit of this supportive adult envelope."

This quote was taken from Chap Clark's Hurt: Inside the World of Today's Teenagers. 

It was the first part of this quote that really caught my eye and reminded me how I should act toward the adolescents in the church.  Our adolescents are trying to form an identity and are in the process of building a standard of beliefs and values. One of the ways they do this is by testing the standards of churches and pastors and challenging them to see if they are true and hold through the test of what adolescents believe to be a right way of verification. 

When ministers and youth workers take their challenges on a personal level and take offense at their stabs at authority, we forget that how we react will impact their identity formation.  If we can look beyond our own securities (and insecurities) and see the individual who is struggling to work out a personal identity for herself, we can more effectively and lovingly minister to our adolescents. 

Hence, if we can apply Elkind's observation in the latter portion of his statement to adolescent ministry, we can see that our deficiency to respond and interact with our churches' adolescents in a Christ-like manner will cause them to find and form an identity apart from "the benefit of this supportive adult envelope."  It comes down to how faithfully we hold on to the standards, values and beliefs we have gained through Scripture and our walk with God. 

Our adolescents are hurt and we, like the Master, should reach out to their hurting souls and help, not hurt, the divine healing process.