According to Rainer Research, approximately 70 percent of American youth drop out of church between the age of 18 and 22. The Barna Group estimates that 80 percent of those reared in the church will be "disengaged" by the time they are 29.What do you think? Is this problem real or just perceived? What would you say is the biggest reason young people are leaving the church? What can the church do to prevent this from continuing?
Monday, November 22, 2010
Drew Dyke on the "Leavers"
Interesting article today on Christianity Today discussing the trend of 20-30 somethings leaving the church. The article presents some startling figures.
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I do believe this is a real problem. One of the big reasons for it could be that many Christian young people never get a sense of what true Christianity really is. They equate being a Christian with going to church, or not cussing and drinking and smoking, and they never have the reality of a relationship with Christ themselves. Church and rules = Christianity for many people, and this is a terrible misconception that will in the end, result in young people leaving. They grow up seeing many inconsitencies and much hypocrisy in the church, so why would they stay. Sad, but true. The only answer is for young people to #1, have their hearts opened by the holy spirit to see the beauty of Christ, #2, witness true and vibrant Christianity, where people have real affection for God, and love for others.
ReplyDeleteYoung people don't see it in us like they should. You see, we are a product of the "fighting fundy" movement (that is not a stab at Biblical Fundamentalism), which is catching up with us even now as I make this post. . . . and is certainly being picked up on by our youth. When we read what Christ said to the Laodicean church "I wish that you were hot or cold. . .because you are not hot or cold but are lukewarm, I want to spit you out of my mouth" (paraphrase), it is obvious that much of our youth feel the same way. Yes, the Holy Spirit and the Bible are capable, able, and ready to do the transformation in the young believer's heart. However, coldness, apathy, and lukewarm orthopraxy are equally as capable and able to stifle that transformation by making sure that some of our youth never make to the point of even accepting Christ before they "spit it out" and leave the church.
ReplyDeleteCynical?, maybe. But it's true. Let's have hand in exposing them to all the Christian life was intended to be; both in "doxy" and "praxy".
Deut. 6
~Smitty
While the concept of God dominates our culture and families, the unfortunate truth is that the reality of God (and the Gospel) hardly makes it through the front door of the church. I'm to blame as much as anyone else. As you look at the explosion of Christianity in the early church, you have to wonder what we're missing today. Has Theology replaced reality?
ReplyDeleteWhile I think all of you are very right, Fitz, I think you hit the nail on the head. Churches all too often these days spend more time teaching "religion"(rules,standards,etc.) or feel-good, perfectly outlined messages than they do teaching that vital relationship with our Creator. I literally remember a church service I was in once where the speaker got done with his entire message then realized that we had never even opened the Bible the entire time. When we start trusting too much in what other Christian brothers and sisters think, and get away from the Word... the Ultimate Wisdom and Power, it will never end well. So of course young people will leave the church if their view of God and the church is that skewed and they never get that real one on One relationship.
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