WHY TEENS, YOUNG ADULTS ARE LEAVING THE CHURCH

By Sheryl Young of Yahoo News Service
ANALYSIS | For the last decade, churches in America have felt the pinch of young people exiting faster than you can say "Welcome to Sunday Morning Service." Why do our young people want out?

At a glance, it's no puzzlement to the man on the street. As discussed in my recent article, "New Organization, Book Explores Reversing the Church's Bad Reputation," numerous controversial issues have been handled ungracefully while trying to tell the rest of the world about Jesus and His love.

But for Christians who wish to return America to a more Bible-friendly atmosphere, there are even deeper conflicts and symptoms to be recognized.

Starting from kids on up, a great variety of reasons for the exodus exists. The following are gathered and generalized from well-informed sources: "Generation Ex-Christian: Why Young Adults Are Leaving the Faith ...and How to Bring Them Back," (Drew Dyck, Moody Publishing, Oct 2010), "Already Gone: Why your kids will quit church and what you can do to stop it" (Ken Ham & Britt Beemer, Todd Hillard, New Leaf, Aug 2009); "The Last Christian Generation" (McDowell, Green Key, 2006); and Lifeway Christian Resource Surveys from 2007 and 2010.

* Churched kids and teens spend six of seven days each week hearing other people say how judgmental Christianity is, and that the Bible should be taboo.

* Churches use outdated methods of Sunday School, rotating the same Bible stories year-in and year-out without relating the morals to daily living. When kids want to know why someone like Gabrielle Giffords was shot, they don't need another lesson on Noah's Ark.

* Teens can only eat so much pizza at church social events before they see through this thinly veiled attempt at keeping them occupied and out of trouble.

* Those surveyed say there aren't enough good reasons given for holding Bible beliefs other than "the preacher says so..." or "your parents say so."

* Sometimes kids are routinely kept out of "grown-up church." From infancy to four years old, they're in nursery. Then they get "children's church" with a short Bible lesson, crafts and refreshments. For teens, a separate youth service geared to "their" music. By eighteen, they've never been expected to sit through a whole Sunday service. It's culture shock.

* Young people can see that the Church in general hasn't yet been able to conquer racial reconciliation, domestic abuse and the rampant church divorce rate...sometimes in their own families.

* Older generations won't blend a moderate amount of contemporary music with traditional hymns, to show young people that newer ideas are respected.

* Or, the Church feels pressured to impress their younger members with new technological avenues. So they discard all the old hymns that were written out of peoples' struggles with life, pride and suffering. Thus, the newer generations don't hear about how God can help them through hard times.

* Parents are expecting the church to teach what may fall within their own responsibility.

* But then, young parents raised in the last twenty years have themselves grown up under the new pop psychology of never receiving or deserving any discipline or criticism. They've seen church become irrelevant. Now, as parents, they're hesitant to make (or even ask) their kids to go to church or develop a backbone in faith.

* Lastly, everyone's too busy for church. There are too many other attractions in life.

Many church leaders may pick up these books and surveys only to find the suggested answers to the problems are things their church already tried. Others may not have the means or congregational support to implement changes.

And still more will find it such a daunting task that they just throw up their hands. Maybe it's time to do just that -- throw hands up and pray, rather than create more programs -- and leave the rest up to God.

Sheryl Young has been freelance writing for newspapers, magazines, organizations and websites since 1997. Her specialty is American politics, education and society as they intersect with religion. Credits include Community Columnist for the Tampa Tribune Newspaper, Interview Columnist with Light & Life Magazine, and a National First Place "Roaring Lambs" Writing Award from the Amy Foundation.

WHAT INFLUENCES MILLENIALS?

From Ed Stetzer of Lifeway Research comes these perspectives on the Millenials and what influences them.


Through that study we gain some insight into how this generation perceives influences in their lives. For example, when looking for information or advice about two-thirds of American "Millennials" prefer to talk with a variety of people who have personal experience rather than one individual considered to be an "expert."

According to the study it turns out that the greatest influences in the lives of Millennials are parents, friends and extended family. "The vast majority (88 percent) say their parent or parents remain a positive influence on their lives, including 51 percent who call them a strongly positive influence."

65 percent of Millennials identify themselves as Christian, 14 percent as atheist or agnostic, 14 percent list no religious preference, and 8 percent claim other religions. Professing Christians, consistent church attenders, and those committed to some form of religion are more likely than others to say their parents are still a strong and positive influence.

• Thirty-eight percent of Millennials say their religious beliefs have no influence on their lives.
• Thirty-two percent indicate their beliefs have a strongly positive influence.
• Fifty percent say a church or house of worship has no influence on their lives. Twenty-two percent indicate a church has a strongly positive influence.
• 18 percent of all Millennials indicate they get a lot of guidance or advice from sacred texts such as the Bible, Torah or Koran, while another 24 percent get some. The most common answer (37 percent) is none at all.

Read more ....

MEETING GOD AT WALMART

Will Mancini in The Clarity Coach web blog shares a letter from a pastor to his church that was seri0us about exegeting their culture.

Dear Co-Workers in Christ,

As an officer of the church your primary directive is to make disciples and to make decisions that make disciples. In other words, officers empower the congregation to look more to Jesus for guidance and more like Jesus in ministry.

Given that understanding, I want to invite you – challenge you, really – to join in an experience to which I have committed myself and the entire staff. Between now and the first Sunday in August, I want you to use one hour each week in a discernment project. I want each church officer to join our staff members in taking one hour each week to meet God at Wal-Mart.

That’s right. No joke. You are assigned to meet God at Wal-Mart. Here are the details.

Once a week, go across the freeway to the Wal-Mart. Spend an hour roaming the aisles and watching the shoppers and employees. Do not go in to shop. Do not get your groceries during that time. This is about people, not merchandise or purchasing or recreational browsing.

I want you make note of the people – their culture, socio-economics, dress, expressed values, perceived attitudes, what they seem to be interested/disinterested in. I want you to imagine what their lives are like leading up to their Wal-Mart visit and returning from their shopping.

As you observe the people, seek God out in prayer, asking, “God, what in the world does our church have to offer these people? What do we have to offer them and how would you want us to do that?” Then listen, and take note.

If the assignment is too confusing or complex, then do this – ask, “Where do I see Jesus today here at Wal-Mart?”

My hunch is that some of our assumed values and valued programs don’t/won’t play the same in that context. God might have something to say about that. We may get some reality checks, with may receive some insights and inspirations, we may even meet God at levels/dimensions where we have not before.

If you get bored with Wal-Mart or feel going there is too repetitive, I offer some alternatives. You are welcome to try the same thing at one or more of these places – Goodwill Industries Store or the nearby bowling alley.

You may want to take notes, keep a journal, or simply e-mail me as you have discoveries.

Hoping you see Jesus anew, Your Pastor

GEN Y HAS A NEW "AMERICAN DREAM"

Steve: Churches who seek to minister to emerging generations need to be attending to the research that is available so we can exegete our culture as we develop missional strategies. This post was written by Sharalyn Hartwell on a blog site called Generation Y Examiner.

Less than half of Millennials are confident they can reach the “American Dream”, according to research conducted by Harvard University’s Institute of Politics, so they are creating a new dream relying less on financial success.

Only 46 percent of Millennials said they expect to be better off financially than their parents when they reach their parents’ age and eleven percent anticipate to be worse off than their parents.

This sense of discouragement supports the growing notion that Millennials are defining success differently and seeking to create a new American Dream.

Their priorities simply aren’t limited to the big home in the suburbs. Experts at the Urban Land Institute predict Generation Y will continue to rent this decade, further compounding the floundering real estate market.

The state of the economy as a whole, not just the real estate market, has certainly played a role in this shift. Despite continual reports of Gen Y sponging off their parents, the economy has still taken a toll on this group. Nearly half (45 percent) are concerned classify their personal financial situation as “bad” and are “very concerned ” or “somewhat concerned” about meeting their bills and obligations, affording a place to live and affording health care 60 percent, 58 percent and 56 percent respectively).

Millennials place a high value on education, but nearly half (45 percent) of current undergrads and nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of community college students question their ability to stay in school because of financial constraints. Add their waning confidence in their ability to find a job after graduation (84 percent say it will be “difficult”) and it is apparent Millennials are becoming disenchanted with the old definition of the American Dream. While they believe it takes hard work to get ahead, Millennials seem to be questioning if it will always pay off.

Is it any wonder Millennials talk so passionately about topics considered taboo by their Boomer predecessors? Millennials openly tell employers about their new American Dream. Work will not be their life, they only work to live because they seek a work/life balance. They want flexible benefits (such as telecommuting) and a work environment that feels like home away from home. They are willing to leave a company when they aren't offered these things.

Their dream includes volunteering and maintaining relationships. The same Harvard study found that 70 percent of Millennials, and 81 percent of those enrolled in a 4-year college or university, think community service is an “honorable” thing to do. A 2009 Participatory Marketing Network study reported that a whopping 99 percent of Gen Y has an active profile on at least one social media site (Facebook is the most common way they maintain relationships).

Additionally, when Millennials travel, it is more about having an experience that could lead to bragging rights rather than doing nothing in posh surroundings. They will use social media to make connections to find places eat and stay and things to do.

Watching their parents draw the short straw after a lifetime of following the quintessential American Dream equation--saving, investing and dedicating yourself to your employer to buy that big house in the suburbs--has led Millennials to find alternative ways, ways not likely to change even when the economy recovers, to create a high quality of life.

Visit this web site for more useful research on emerging generations.