Why Are We Losing Young People?

[Wonder]

Originally Posted by trialedbyfire

I think what you said in this post, the statement in bold letters, basically sums up the issue.

I crinch sometimes when I hear preachers preach. There's only one pastor I've been under in my entire life that I've felt comfortable taking new converts or interested individuals to listen to at all times, and that was my pastor back home in DC, which is why I attended his church for so long. He preaches the truth, preaches strongly against sin, but I have never heard him be purposely offensive or outright disrespectful. I sat under pastors who will preach and mention young people over the pulpit and use them as examples for "what not to do" or spread their sin over the pulpit, to my shock and dismay, and personally wanted to walk out of the church, and I wasn't even the point and topic of the conversation. I've sat under pastors and in churches where I quite frankly didn't feel comfortable bringing the lost to the church. I've felt more comfortable in some cases having people come to my own home with a select saints from the church I know can handle evangelism, and work with them myself to receive the Holy Ghost, because I've seen people who are "working" with the lost for them to receive the spirit of God doing all sorts of insanity. Grabbing their throats, putting their hands on their jaw and moving their mouths up and down, telling them they can't get a drink of water because the Devil's trying to distract them.

I've held it in for a long time, out of respect and out of respect for order and decency, even when I've been admonished for not inviting enough people to church, I've literally wanted to say I can't invite people to this mess, they'd think I'm nuts, your nuts, and we're all nuts and it's not just because we dance and speak in tongues it's because some of us actually are nuts.

I guess when you get to much "man" in the church and not enough of God you get these problems.

Going to the young people, I was thinking about today's society and how many distractions there are for young people, and even young people in the church. Ipads, Ipods, cellphones, tv, internet, facebook, twitter, etc. People don't even know how to put together whole sentences because the majority of what they say and read on any given day is in the confines of 140 characters on twitter. Young people are not being taught critical thinking skills, they are being constantly dumbed down by the media, I mean I have the opportunity to go out on the streets and witness to some of these young people and have seen just the gradual dumbing down of society.

And we as the saints of God have an obligation to reach out to these souls, and in order to do that we can't just hand them tracks about Acts 2:38 and the godhead and expect them to read it, comply, and run to the church on Sunday. I think some people feel like passing out tracts is witnessing, and that's one of my biggest pet peeves. I gave him a "Understanding the Godhead in 3 Steps" tract, yeup that'll get him off drugs.

While all this is going on our own young people go astray because we don't offer them anything but a set of "dos and don'ts" and tell them if they leave the church they're going to Hell. I get aggravated with parents who think that by taking their kids to church on Sunday and Wednesday night they're doing their jobs as Christian parents. Your children are in church generally 6 to 7 hours a week, but in school being brainwashed by the world monday-friday from 8am to 3pm and you're surprised that they're distracted by the world?

Even the kids in the church have no desire to know Christ, because the truth is a lot of the adults in the church don't really know Christ. They know Apostolic doctrine. They don't know Jesus. Church has now become something we do because we don't want to go to Hell, rather then something we do to come together to touch the throne of Heaven and experience God. Young people are distracted by the world because they're not interested in going to church, hearing the pastor preach and never seeing any results.

The Bible stresses instilling the word of God, and it has to be the parents, not the pastor. We have to put the word of God in our children from day one, and I mean overload them with it. It can't just be Bible stories, we have to fall in love with the Word of God as a body and stop simply relying on comfortable and fiery preaching to keep us and the youth of our churches. There's a lot of shouting going on in the churches now, lots of dogmatic preaching, lots of "I'm going to Heaven and you're not because...", but not a lot of loving Jesus. It seems like more and more I go to churches and it's like a bunch of people sitting in a building with the door locked and Jesus is standing outside the doorstep of his own house with the weak and damaged soul of a sinner in his hand knocking on the door asking "Can we please come in?"

WOW An Awesome Post !!!

[scotty]

Well my answer is not as spiritually or doctrinally deep as all the rest of you.

And I do believe there are situations where problems are way over analyzed.

So here is what I have seen both growing up in youth group

Watching the youth groups today.

And hearing my daughters talk about our current youth group.

It is as simple as a division between what we call "Lifers" and "Newbies"

The divide between those who have been in since birth and those who come in during their preteen and teen years.

You can see them in our church.

They talk, socialize.

Once things settle for service.

They sit in groups, two to three pews apart.

It was that way when I got in at about 11 years old.

Oh yeah, everyone talked and fellowshipped with me.

But that was it. Even after I was 17 and had been there 6 years.

The same is true at churches today.

I see my daughters struggle with it.

but I am not silent about it

I don't keep it from them.

I know your not supposed to talk about people in the church.

But if my daughters know the truth, they can, and have, deal with it better.

It is sad. Of the "Newbies" I grew up with, I am the only one of 6 who is in the church today.

And I was gone for a long time.

[Michael The Disciple]

I imagine the reason many leave Church is because most of them are boring to a young person compared to the world. If they get a real connection with Christ, experience his favor, encounter him they are far more likely to stay. Such a walk with him is more dynamic than all the world offers.

I came to Christ outside of Church. A hippie who was drawn to begin reading the Bible. I had years of drinking, smoking pot, LSD, ups, downs and all arounds. But Christ revealed himself to me. I received the Holy Ghost with tongues and prophecy and was having amazing encounters with Jesus BEFORE I went to any Church or met any Christians.

Some 7 months later when I attended a Church to be baptized in the Church Of Christ they persuaded me to start attending their Sunday School. Boy was I shocked. The young adult class was so shallow it was not funny. They enjoyed the things of the world with seemingly no passion for Jesus.

Noahs Ark, Moses bush, Christmas...thats what I think of when I think of Sunday School. The Elders tried to talk me out of my walk with God saying he doesnt do the amazing things I testified to.

After leaving there and meeting up with the Jesus Movement THEN I was thrilled! Other young people who actually hungered for the things of God. That were on fire. We did not do crafts and plays. We went out on the street and preached to hippies, hookers, pimps, gays, whoever was out. We prayed for the sick and cast out demons. We baptized people and some got the Holy Ghost.

I tried to get back in a regular Church. The Pastor called for anyone interested in working to reach young people for a meeting. His wife was asking for suggestions how to strengthen the young people.

I suggested get them out on the street! Lets go to the malls and the airport and the sports events and tell people about Jesus! She looked at me as if I had not said anything. Then a young man raised his hand and suggested a hay ride and a bon fire. NOW they got excited ! Thats it!

Its no wonder youth want out of Church. At least back then they were being treated like children. Not challenged to discipleship. Not taught God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. He was not real to many of them.

Since I myself gave up on these systemite type Churches a long time ago I cant blame young people (or old) for leaving them. They rob people of their zeal and lock them into playing Church.

The real important question is are they leaving false Churches that are detrimental to their growth as a Christian or are they leaving Jesus? Almost everyone I attempt to witness to where I work responds by saying something like "Well I dont go to Church as much as I should". They instantly equate Church attendance with being a Christian.

Instead of always treating them like Sunday School kids why not teach them to forsake all and follow Christ? When they begin to encounter the Lord Jesus Christ they will want fellowship with like minded people. It depends a lot on what kind of vision the older people give them of Christ.

[Hoovie]

Originally Posted by scotty

Well my answer is not as spiritually or doctrinally deep as all the rest of you.

And I do believe there are situations where problems are way over analyzed.

So here is what I have seen both growing up in youth group

Watching the youth groups today.

And hearing my daughters talk about our current youth group.

It is as simple as a division between what we call "Lifers" and "Newbies"

The divide between those who have been in since birth and those who come in during their preteen and teen years.

You can see them in our church.

They talk, socialize.

Once things settle for service.

They sit in groups, two to three pews apart.

It was that way when I got in at about 11 years old.

Oh yeah, everyone talked and fellowshipped with me.

But that was it. Even after I was 17 and had been there 6 years.

The same is true at churches today.

I see my daughters struggle with it.

but I am not silent about it

I don't keep it from them.

I know your not supposed to talk about people in the church.

But if my daughters know the truth, they can, and have, deal with it better.

It is sad. Of the "Newbies" I grew up with, I am the only one of 6 who is in the church today.

And I was gone for a long time.

Do you consider your daughters to be newbies?

[trialedbyfire]

Originally Posted by scotty

Well my answer is not as spiritually or doctrinally deep as all the rest of you.

And I do believe there are situations where problems are way over analyzed.

So here is what I have seen both growing up in youth group

Watching the youth groups today.

And hearing my daughters talk about our current youth group.

It is as simple as a division between what we call "Lifers" and "Newbies"

The divide between those who have been in since birth and those who come in during their preteen and teen years.

You can see them in our church.

They talk, socialize.

Once things settle for service.

They sit in groups, two to three pews apart.

It was that way when I got in at about 11 years old.

Oh yeah, everyone talked and fellowshipped with me.

But that was it. Even after I was 17 and had been there 6 years.

The same is true at churches today.

I see my daughters struggle with it.

but I am not silent about it

I don't keep it from them.

I know your not supposed to talk about people in the church.

But if my daughters know the truth, they can, and have, deal with it better.

It is sad. Of the "Newbies" I grew up with, I am the only one of 6 who is in the church today.

And I was gone for a long time.

I'm a "newbie" myself. Came in at 16. I had the basic frame work down though, my mother was a backslidder so up until age 8 I was raised in the Holiness church. I knew the lingo, knew the traditions, knew the DOs and DONTs, so I fit in, and yes I experienced what you're talking about.

I experienced the hurt of losing all of my friends in the world. It took until after I graduated High School to really "stay saved" because no one was saved in my high school, no one in my immediate family was saved. The problem is there are those who are "raised" in the church who know no better. Their life has been church since they were born. Some of them take this largely for granted. Those of us who have been "in the world" can testify that there's nothing out there, but many will not take our word for it. Those who remain saved often times have such a bond with those who they grew up with in the church, outsiders aren't as welcomed as they should be. They are not reached out to, because some people that were raised in the church don't realize what it's like to be in the world. To have every friend you've ever had, your very support system in life leave you because you're living this new life. It's sad, but many young people come in, and fall away for that very reason. I plan on raising my children in the faith, this is a principle I will ALWAYS be careful to teach them, to reach out to the newly saved and be that support system they need.

Sometimes I wonder, if I didn't already know what church was like and to expect to be alone after I accepted Christ... would I have survived to be saved to this day? The sad answer is considering the statistics... I doubt it.

[Hoovie]

A lot has been shared so far. I would SURMISE that most have formed opinions from personal experiences. But I am not sure that any of these things... division, standards et al is the crux of the matter.

Non Penetcostal and Non Standards churches face the same issues of their youth leaving...

Fact is, our schools and society are quickly entering a post Christian state... It's just that the youth have more courage to express it.

[trialedbyfire]

Originally Posted by Hoovie

A lot has been shared so far. I would SURMISE that most have formed opinions from personal experiences. But I am not sure that any of these things... division, standards et al is the crux of the matter.

Non Penetcostal and Non Standards churches face the same issues of their youth leaving...

Fact is, our schools and society are quickly entering a post Christian state... It's just that the youth have more courage to express it.

What exactly is a "post Christian state"?

Can we honestly and realistically blame society for destroying youth in a remnant church and be comfortable with that answer?

[Michael The Disciple]

Originally Posted by Hoovie

A lot has been shared so far. I would SURMISE that most have formed opinions from personal experiences. But I am not sure that any of these things... division, standards et al is the crux of the matter.

Non Penetcostal and Non Standards churches face the same issues of their youth leaving...

Fact is, our schools and society are quickly entering a post Christian state... It's just that the youth have more courage to express it.

Really good point. 1-12 they are indoctrinated into secular humanism. Not to mention in College.

[Hoovie]

My primary point was not to place blame, but just acknowledge that this is not a thing unique to Pentecostals or conservative "standards" churches. I think the stats are something like 85% of today's Christian youth abandon the faith by college age... A "used to be Christian" mentality is normal in today's public schools and universities. To be post-Christian is comfortable, and in many classrooms the majority identifies with either a declining Christianity, or an abandoned Christianity.

Preserving a Christian worldview in the formative years, and keeping godly parents as the primary influence is of utmost importance.

It's not a cure-all, but it certainly is one of the reasons we homeschool.

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by Hoovie

A lot has been shared so far. I would SURMISE that most have formed opinions from personal experiences. But I am not sure that any of these things... division, standards et al is the crux of the matter.

Non Pentecostal and Non Standards churches face the same issues of their youth leaving...

Fact is, our schools and society are quickly entering a post Christian state... It's just that the youth have more courage to express it.

Exactly. It is amazing... or depressing perhaps... the beliefs, thoughts, attitudes and habits that our children pick up in public school. I had started off home schooling our children and they wanted to go to public school. I wish I would have stuck to my guns now. I have great kids... don't get me wrong... but I see things in them that they never would have picked up without the influence of their "friends" at school.

Despite it all my kids are very involved in church and still live for God but it has been a constant struggle to keep attitudes at bay that are so prevalent at school but not allowed at home.

Another thing that affects kids is this... kids don't mind believing truth... but young people are quickly turned off by elders taking a stand that they cannot sufficiently support with scripture. Now... they may not be able to support their stands because it is not biblically based or it may be because the elders are used to a "Because I said so" atmosphere where flimsy reasoning has been fine heretofore. But, if you can't support what you say you believe with good solid scripture it turns the younger generation off and they begin to lose faith in the entirety of Christianity because they feel that all of it must be just as flimsy.