Why are you losing young people? The internet is to blame, mostly. Makes it easier to see what else is out there. E.g., alternatives to "believe this or die".
__________________
Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty
To answer your question with my own opinion Cindy....
The reason I think we are losing young people is because they have been taught to highly regard and respect a system... i.e. the church and its ministers.... more highly than God himself.
How often I heard the saying while growing up "It ain't Bible, but it's so anyhow" in regards to the clothesline standard questions.
Instead of allowing each individual to follow the leading of the Spirit in their lives, the "system" has taught to honor the man-made rules and laws, instead of following the leading of the Spirit in their lives.
And when those man-made laws, and traditions fail to keep one within its boundaries, and you have not been taught how to allow the Spirit in your life to guide you... then you fall into apostasy and begin to blame God for all that's wrong in the church system... and that is why we are losing young people, because of disillusion with a system that is failed and cracked and broken at its very core...
Yet only when one turns and follows CHRIST and not a church system (pastor/preacher/ministry) will there be a restoration in that life. We don't follow men, we follow Christ. We honor those who work in the ministry, and appreciate all they do, but we do NOT respect or esteem them higher than the Lord himself.
But that is in essence exactly what the current church system has done, is to elevate the "ministry" to such a place that when that ministry fails, as all human nature will... then it destroys the faith of the people.... Satan's perfect plan in action.
To answer your question with my own opinion Cindy....
The reason I think we are losing young people is because they have been taught to highly regard and respect a system... i.e. the church and its ministers.... more highly than God himself.
How often I heard the saying while growing up "It ain't Bible, but it's so anyhow" in regards to the clothesline standard questions.
Instead of allowing each individual to follow the leading of the Spirit in their lives, the "system" has taught to honor the man-made rules and laws, instead of following the leading of the Spirit in their lives.
And when those man-made laws, and traditions fail to keep one within its boundaries, and you have not been taught how to allow the Spirit in your life to guide you... then you fall into apostasy and begin to blame God for all that's wrong in the church system... and that is why we are losing young people, because of disillusion with a system that is failed and cracked and broken at its very core...
Yet only when one turns and follows CHRIST and not a church system (pastor/preacher/ministry) will there be a restoration in that life. We don't follow men, we follow Christ. We honor those who work in the ministry, and appreciate all they do, but we do NOT respect or esteem them higher than the Lord himself.
But that is in essence exactly what the current church system has done, is to elevate the "ministry" to such a place that when that ministry fails, as all human nature will... then it destroys the faith of the people.... Satan's perfect plan in action.
May the sun bring you new energy by day, the moon softly restore you by night, may the rain wash away your worries, may the breeze blow new strength into your being, may you walk gently through the world and know it's beauty all the days of your life~
(¯`•´¯) ★.¸¸.•*♥
*• ¸.•*☆ *♥ ☯♪♥ N ҉ A ҉ M ҉ A ҉ S ҉ T ҉ E ♥♪☯
✿°`'•.¸¸＊°✿✿°`'•.¸¸＊°✿✿°`'•.¸¸＊°✿
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.
__________________ You can't reach the world with your talents. People are sick and tired of religious talents. People need a Holy Ghost annointed church with real fruits to reach out and touch their lives. ~ Pastor Burrell Crabtree
In fact I think that the insinuation of "hateful" Pentecostals is coming mostly from the fertile imaginations of bitter, backslidden ex Apostolics who are constantly trying to find a way to justify their actions. ~ strait shooter
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?
__________________ "It is inhumane, in my opinion, to force people who have a genuine medical need for coffee to wait in line behind people who apparently view it as some kind of recreational activity." Dave Barry 2005
I am a firm believer in the Old Paths
Articles on such subjects as "The New Birth," will be accepted, whether they teach that the new birth takes place before baptism in water and Spirit, or that the new birth consists of baptism of water and Spirit. - THE PENTECOSTAL HERALD Dec. 1945
"It is doubtful if any Trinitarian Pentecostals have ever professed to believe in three gods, and Oneness Pentecostals should not claim that they do." - Daniel Segraves
I try to teach them that a child of God is just that.
Whether they have walked in the truth 1 year or since birth.
The birthers are just as apt to fall as the newbies.
I would even say the newbies have a greater testimony of where God has brought them from.
But either way, its like a childish social group. and most parents I have seen feed it.
__________________ You can't reach the world with your talents. People are sick and tired of religious talents. People need a Holy Ghost annointed church with real fruits to reach out and touch their lives. ~ Pastor Burrell Crabtree
In fact I think that the insinuation of "hateful" Pentecostals is coming mostly from the fertile imaginations of bitter, backslidden ex Apostolics who are constantly trying to find a way to justify their actions. ~ strait shooter
I try to teach them that a child of God is just that.
Whether they have walked in the truth 1 year or since birth.
The birthers are just as apt to fall as the newbies.
I would even say the newbies have a greater testimony of where God has brought them from.
But either way, its like a childish social group. and most parents I have seen feed it.
Interesting observation. Are you saying some newbies are turned away because they never make it into the inner circle? If they are just as apt to fall... It seems that might not be it.
__________________ "It is inhumane, in my opinion, to force people who have a genuine medical need for coffee to wait in line behind people who apparently view it as some kind of recreational activity." Dave Barry 2005
I am a firm believer in the Old Paths
Articles on such subjects as "The New Birth," will be accepted, whether they teach that the new birth takes place before baptism in water and Spirit, or that the new birth consists of baptism of water and Spirit. - THE PENTECOSTAL HERALD Dec. 1945
"It is doubtful if any Trinitarian Pentecostals have ever professed to believe in three gods, and Oneness Pentecostals should not claim that they do." - Daniel Segraves
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.
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.
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.
__________________ "It is inhumane, in my opinion, to force people who have a genuine medical need for coffee to wait in line behind people who apparently view it as some kind of recreational activity." Dave Barry 2005
I am a firm believer in the Old Paths
Articles on such subjects as "The New Birth," will be accepted, whether they teach that the new birth takes place before baptism in water and Spirit, or that the new birth consists of baptism of water and Spirit. - THE PENTECOSTAL HERALD Dec. 1945
"It is doubtful if any Trinitarian Pentecostals have ever professed to believe in three gods, and Oneness Pentecostals should not claim that they do." - Daniel Segraves
Hybrid Mode
