Is the Church Failing Young People?

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jesus face palm Is the Church Failing Young People?Even though I don’t work with youth anymore when I saw “Youth Ministry – The Fifty Year Failed Experiment” by Fr. John Peck, I was intrigued. At some level, I’ve always known there were problems in the church and five years of youth ministry showed me those problems weren’t limited to the adults. I’ve pointed out that fact several times, an action that did not endear me with some of my brothers and sisters. But, I always approached the issue with idea of fixing youth ministry. After reading Fr. Peck’s article, I have to reconsider that idea. The problem is with the institution, not with youth, or even adult, ministry.

Just in case anyone is thinking “What problem?”, let me take a minute to show what I mean. The Barna Group conducted a five-year study which found that 6 out of 10 young people will leave the church either permanently or for extended periods starting around the age of 15. The study found there are 6 reasons for this. There are as follows:

  1. Churches are overprotective and isolated, demonizing everything outside of them.
  2. Their experience of Christianity seems shallow.
  3. Churches are antagonistic to science.
  4. Churches approach sex in simplistic and judgmental ways.
  5. Young people do not care the exclusivity displayed by the majority of Christians.
  6. Churches are hostile towards doubt.

Since this could be a controversial subject, I decided to verify these findings with an actual representative of young people. This was relatively easy, as there is a young person in my household and, today being a teacher work day, she was home. I ran down this list with my youngest daughter who is 17 and thus right in the sweet spot of this study. She agreed on all points. If you think there’s no problem here, get your head out of the sand.

Originally, I had planned for this to be a stand-alone piece. But, looking at this list, I can see that it’s not really possible to say all I want to say in one post and keep to a length that would be even remotely readable. Instead, I’m going to make this a series and address each point in a separate article. That breaks it up into easily digested nuggets and gives me something to write about for at least the next 6 days. Everybody wins!

Right now, some of you might be thinking this won’t apply to you because you’re not a pastor or a youth leader or have kids and nothing could be further from the truth. If there’s one thing I learned in 5 years of working with youth, it’s that they are constantly watching adults. All adults, not just their pastors, parents, teachers, etc. They’re watching us to see how we do this Christian thing and decide if they want to follow in our footsteps. And, right now, they don’t. In the title of this post, I ask if the church is failing young people. Because it isn’t giving them a true picture of what it means to follow Christ the answer to that question is a resounding YES.

Published in: on February 18, 2013 at 11:49 am  Comments (2)  
  • http://www.progressivechristianitybook.com rogerwolsey

    Indeed. I’d also add that in addition to too many churches being antagonistic to science; too many are also antagonistic toward women, homosexuals, and other world religions.

    Happily, not all churches maintain such teachings and values. Progressive Christian churches embrace these very things that the conservative churches loathe. …. if only more progressive churches would offer youth-friendly music.

    Roger Wolsey, author, “Kissing Fish: christianity for people who don’t like christianity”

    • Chris

      Roger, while I respect your freedom of opinion, I have to disagree with you (if I’m reading your post correctly). I don’t think the answer is a more “progressive” church that embraces homosexuality, ordination of women or other world religions. The answer is not a watered down faith but a return to the TRUE orthodox faith of the early church. The first Christians’ faith was powerful enough to change the entire world! And in any case, the Holy Bible is very clear about these issues.

      For example, regarding the issue of homosexuality, 1 Corinthians 6: 9-11 states, “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” Again, it says in Romans 1:26-27: “For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.”
      Of course, this does not mean that those who are struggling with these or other sinful desires are to be hated or cast out. Rather, we are to love all people, but we cannot confuse loving the sinner with acceptance of sinful behavior or the sin itself.

      If by accepting other world religions, you mean that we can accept that they also lead to God, the Word of God states very clearly, “…let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4: 10-12). And again, in Mark 16: 14-16: “Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”

      The Bible is full of additional references on these issues. It is up to us to be diligent in reading the word of God and accepting it faithfully. As much as some people argue that the answer to people leaving the church is that it should “change with the times”, this has proven to be false when it comes to doctrinal and theological issues (just look at the history of the Catholic church where membership has continued to dwindle even as it has shortened its liturgies, taken more progressive views on intermarriage with other faiths, etc). Let’s not forget that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8). That doesn’t mean that churches should ignore the 6 issues identified in the article – they should be addressed, but in light of the true gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. I pray that all churches that have gone astray from the true faith will return to the Truth Himself.