What's in? Going without/Christian teens turn to fasting

2 Comments | Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Aug 29, 2000 | by Eric Gorski

For a growing number of young Christians, going without is the cool thing to do.

The ancient religious discipline of fasting - refraining from food for set periods of time - is being embraced by devout teens who view it as a radical statement of faith.

Only this generation of fasters is redefining the term.

Partly in response to parental concerns about nutrition and eating disorders, many teens are fasting not food but their favorite things: skateboarding, TV, dating, Nintendo - you name it.

Others are experimenting with food fasts that aren't quite as extreme as going 40 days on juice alone, as some prominent evangelical Christian leaders have done.

"It's awesome, it's radical," said Sarah Tullis, a Colorado Springs 14-year-old whose ongoing fast involves eating one meal a day and protein shakes as snacks. "It's not easy to do. It's countercultural to do something like that."

If youth fasting is countercultural, then an event dubbed the CallDC may be its Woodstock.

On Sept. 2, 400,000 young people and their parents are expected to descend on the Mall in Washington, D.C., for 12 hours of fasting and praying.

The organizers, a loose-knit group of evangelical leaders, are modeling the event on a passage in the Book of Joel: "Declare a holy fast ... call a sacred assembly ... bring together the elders, gather the children." About 200 people are planning to attend from Colorado Springs, which has a large and vocal evangelical Christian community.

The event aims to reconcile generations and empower youth, with fasting as a cornerstone. Since fasting is new to many, the CallDC has drawn up a 14-point fasting tip sheet. The recommendations include seeking medical advice and gaining permission from parents if the faster is under 18.

Young people also may be drawn to fasting because, like lava lamps and bell-bottomed pants, it's so retro.

Fasting, after all, is a tenet of many religions. Jews fast for Yom Kippur, Muslims fast during Ramadan, Hindus fast for Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction, and Catholics fast for Lent.

Only recently have evangelical Christians rediscovered fasting. One evangelical leader, Bill Bright of Campus Crusade for Christ, called fasting a "spiritual time bomb" that would demolish evil and spark a national revival.

The idea has energized youth in particular. An estimated 600,000 teens took part in a 30-hour fast last year that raised more than $8 million for an anti-hunger project sponsored by World Vision, a Christian relief organization.

"I think this generation is just really hungry for God, and fasting is part of that hunger," said Mike Morris, the 30-year-old youth pastor at Destiny Christian Fellowship in Colorado Springs, a church geared toward Gen-Xers. "I think they're really into genuine Christianity, and fasting is an intricate part of that."

One of the keys to fasting is going in with a purpose, said Timothy Burch, 19, a Palmer High School graduate. Burch frequently fasts before making big decisions. He drank only juice and prayed for four or five days before deciding last year to take a job as an intern at New Life Church instead of enrolling at Oral Roberts University.

"You're denying one of your basic needs, and you say, 'I'm going to spend that time praying,'" he said. "It puts you in a place where you're open, a place where you can be aware of things you normally wouldn't be aware of spiritually."

Other youth believe fasting from a favorite activity can be more powerful than giving up food. April Nicodin, 17, a student at Colorado Springs Christian School, has recently refrained from listening to the radio two days a week. She's even hidden the stereo remote control so she won't slip up and switch it on while doing her homework.

"For me, it's denying myself worldly things and helps me focus on my spirituality," said Nicodin, who will fast at the CallDC event with her mother, Joyce, a frequent faster.

Some parents are concerned about the health risks of fasting. Dr. Brian Olivier, a Colorado Springs family physician, said it's not a good idea for kids from puberty age to 16 or 17 to fast for more than three days. Liquids are the key, he said. Drinking juice, for example, prevents the muscle breakdown that accompanies not eating.

Olivier, a Christian who himself has fasted for as many as seven days, said parents also should be wary if their children are fasting often and losing a lot of weight.

Those health concerns have prompted Rob Brendle, youth prayer pastor at New Life Church, to urge against fasts that withhold nutritional staples. Though the Bible says Jesus fasted in the desert for 40 days, Brendle guides kids to fast things such as Snicker's bars or video games.

"What God wants is their heart," he said. "Not their starvation."

Eric Gorski covers religion and nonprofit groups and may be reached at 636-0304 or gorski@gazette.com

The CallDC

On Sept. 2, 400,000 young people and their parents are expected to gather in Washington, D.C., for 12 hours of fasting and praying.

- Edited by Jim Borden. Headline by Tim Chong.