Is The Church Really Losing Our Young Ones?

[Rev Randy]

While getting off topic on another thread, it was brought to my attention that we may be losing our young folks in the Church. I'm not seeing it but I've been outside America and Western civilization for a good while. since returning to the States i've heard of this but haven't really seen it.that's not saying that I don't notice a change in America's youth but rather not seeing an exodus. Am I out of touch?

 

[YeShallTread]

While getting off topic on another thread, it was brought to my attention that we may be losing our young folks in the Church. I'm not seeing it but I've been outside America and Western civilization for a good while. since returning to the States i've heard of this but haven't really seen it.that's not saying that I don't notice a change in America's youth but rather not seeing an exodus. Am I out of touch?

Church lost me a long time ago but...I'm as old as dirt.

I tried to go back a few years ago but...no way. Lots of talk, lots of singing, lots of collecting but...only one or two verses on the Word of the Lord. No teaching and therefore...no interest, at least on my part.

You're going to be raptured, Eve took a bite of an apple, God loves you no matter what you do, once saved always saved.

 

[Fireinfolding]

Church lost me a long time ago but...I'm as old as dirt.

I tried to go back a few years ago but...no way. Lots of talk, lots of singing, lots of collecting but...only one or two verses on the Word of the Lord. No teaching and therefore...no interest, at least on my part.

You're going to be raptured, Eve took a bite of an apple, God loves you no matter what you do, once saved always saved.

I was three months old in the Lord when I began seeing the similitude of Jesus Christ come forward in Genesis, I was so excited I grabbed my pastor (a baptist minister then) and was showing him what I was catching. I still have all this too. He insisted Eve ate an apple and there was nothing more there then that and that there is no mystery of Christ and the church even there. That I had a wild imagination and thats why I needed a pastor to teach me.

Its was then (and also when) he told me Gorbechev was the anti christ because he had a purple birthmark on his head I knew he didnt have a clue to what he was talking bout.

There was one other thing (there most specifically) but my ins and outs in the churches have baffled me concerning those which call themselves teachers.

If anything, had I of listened to most of them I would have discarded most of the things that are most precious (by way of understanding) that have blessed me more then all the sermons I have ever heard (combined).

 

[Tzaousios]

While getting off topic on another thread, it was brought to my attention that we may be losing our young folks in the Church. I'm not seeing it but I've been outside America and Western civilization for a good while. since returning to the States i've heard of this but haven't really seen it.that's not saying that I don't notice a change in America's youth but rather not seeing an exodus. Am I out of touch?

No, I don't think you are out of touch. There appears to be an ever-increasing exodus of younger people from the Evangelical Protestant and fundamentalist churches that they spent childhood in to the deep historical traditions of truth that can be found in Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism.

 

[Rev Randy]

No, I don't think you are out of touch. There appears to be an ever-increasing exodus of younger people from the Evangelical Protestant and fundamentalist churches that they spent childhood in to the deep historical traditions of truth that can be found in Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism.

That was what I thought I was both seeing and hearing.

 

[Gnarwhal]

I heard this really great podcast the other day from Ancient Faith Radio, the host of "Lord Send Me" had an interview with Rick Warren. Now I've never read anything of his nor listened to his teachings, but I haven't opposed him either - he's just never really been on my radar. That all being said, I found this podcast extremely compelling - and I think he touched on the situation surrounding youth and the church, at least briefly. I'd recommend it to anyone.

http://audio.ancientfaith.com/lordsendme/lsm_2013-10-11.mp3

 

[jsimms615]

In most of the churches i have seen in my community, the congregation is older. The youth group is small, except for a few churches. Here is an article I found about the young people leaving the church

Six Reasons Young People Leave the Church | Leadership Journal

 

[Fireinfolding]

Where is youth groups in scripture? Like I know there was that which pertained to fatherless and widows, and parents were to raise their own children in the admonition of the Lord, but I never understood that, especially some of the stuff you can see in some of the churches today.

 

[YeShallTread]

Where is youth groups in scripture? Like I know there was that which pertained to fatherless and widows, and parents were to raise their own children in the admonition of the Lord, but I never understood that, especially some of the stuff you can see in some of the churches today.

Churches were supposed to be where the Word of the Lord was read, verse of allowing Him to teach. How many of His Words do you hear there today?

 

[Fireinfolding]

Churches were supposed to be where the Word of the Lord was read, verse of allowing Him to teach. How many of His Words do you hear there today?

If some of them would stop screaming, so I can make out what they say I could tell

I moved from PA to the bible belt, and ran into a few of those.

I cant take screamers, I mean I know some consider a loud voice to be "power" (as in anointed) but when a two year old does the same thing I dont call that anointed either.

I just call it a temper tantrum to be honest with you.

 

[Achilles6129]

While getting off topic on another thread, it was brought to my attention that we may be losing our young folks in the Church. I'm not seeing it but I've been outside America and Western civilization for a good while. since returning to the States i've heard of this but haven't really seen it.that's not saying that I don't notice a change in America's youth but rather not seeing an exodus. Am I out of touch?

Yes, you are out of touch. Another poster noted something that's probably true - young people are leaving fundamentalist/evangelical churches to either leave Christianity altogether or to go to other less "hardcore" denominations.

We are in the "me" civilization. If people don't like it, they ain't gonna listen to it And the real Bible is not something that people particularly like. Christianity was founded by the most ascetic individual who ever lived and has some extremely ascetic commands in it that people simply don't like (e.g., be unmarried if "you are able to receive it").

Young people are uncomfortable with the Bible and uncomfortable with the ethics of the God of the Bible. They are also simply not very dedicated to the Lord the way that the Bible tells them to. So when we talk about true dedication, the type that Christ taught, they simply don't like it and it's one more reason to leave.

Young people in particular don't like the commands of Scripture and don't like the dedication that Jesus Christ talks about in Scripture. Christianity flourished when the only thing to do was plant/harvest potatoes and the life expectancy was 40 - now we live to much longer ages and the allure of other, worldly things simply takes precedence over Christianity. It's just that simple.

That's my two cents

 

[jsimms615]

If some of them would stop screaming, so I can make out what they say I could tell

I moved from PA to the bible belt, and ran into a few of those.

I cant take screamers, I mean I know some consider a loud voice to be "power" (as in anointed) but when a two year old does the same thing I dont call that anointed either.

I just call it a temper tantrum to be honest with you.

I'm wondering what church your talking about that someone is screaming. I've never experienced that and I've been in church my whole life

 

[MoreCoffee]

In my parish church there's a lot of young kids, a lot of early teens, a lot of 30 something people, and lots of ages from 40 up. The 20 something people seem to go to university and then find a job in a distant place, and some seem to fall out of the church for a while - maybe because marriage and babies - but there is a fairly steady stream of new 30 something people coming in so maybe they are the 20 something people from other places coming to my parish when they're more settled in their life.

 

[Fireinfolding]

I'm wondering what church your talking about that someone is screaming. I've never experienced that and I've been in church my whole life

Good for you, hope you dont have to.

Screamers raise their voice loudly, and you can find many examples of screamers on youtube if your curious about experiencing the same.

Just because someone wasnt molested in church their whole life doesnt invalidate the possibility that someone else has had that experience.

Same with barking congregations, does your church bark on occasion?

No? Then youtube it

 

[YeShallTread]

If some of them would stop screaming, so I can make out what they say I could tell

I moved from PA to the bible belt, and ran into a few of those.

I cant take screamers, I mean I know some consider a loud voice to be "power" (as in anointed) but when a two year old does the same thing I dont call that anointed either.

I just call it a temper tantrum to be honest with you.

 

[Gnarwhal]

Here's an article to consider:

Time and again, the assumption among Christian leaders, and evangelical leaders in particular, is that the key to drawing twenty-somethings back to church is simply to make a few style updates – edgier music, more casual services, a coffee shop in the fellowship hall, a pastor who wears skinny jeans, an updated Web site that includes online giving.

But here’s the thing: Having been advertised to our whole lives, we millennials have highly sensitive BS meters, and we’re not easily impressed with consumerism or performances.

I can personally attest to this.

Why millennials are leaving the church – CNN Belief Blog - CNN.com Blogs

 

[jsimms615]

Good for you, hope you dont have to.

Screamers raise their voice loudly, and you can find many examples of screamers on youtube if your curious about experiencing the same.

Just because someone wasnt molested in church their whole life doesnt invalidate the possibility that someone else has had that experience.

Same with barking congregations, does your church bark on occasion?

No? Then youtube it

I was not implying at all that you haven't had the experience. I don't doubt that you have. There is definitely some odd expressions of the faith, or at least odd to me. I've never heard of barking congregations and I'm good with that.

 

[mandyangel]

CNN doesn't speak for the Christian community. BUT I think the fear is right. SE CUPP wrote the book on it.

 

[Gnarwhal]

CNN doesn't speak for the Christian community. BUT I think the fear is right. SE CUPP wrote the book on it.

No, they don't, but the author is a Christian and she's sharing an observation and a viewpoint that match up with most "millennials".

 

[TannarDarr]

Churches were supposed to be where the Word of the Lord was read, verse of allowing Him to teach. How many of His Words do you hear there today?

I don't know where you got this information, but I think I gotta call it out....It's true that there were those that were delegated as Readers in the Churches. But that was only because not everyone was educated and read.

The Churches were organized very much like the RCC is today. Not that I'm supporting Rome, but I'll admit their church structure is much more biblical and first hundred years of church history correct than nearly any other protestant church is...