There is an epidemic in the church today. It is a mass exodus of our young adults from active participation in church. Surprisingly, according to four independent studies, between 61% and 81% of young people leave the church once they enter college. This is frightening. Another bit of data is, when asked one third of youth stated that their main reason for attending church was to spend time with friends and only 45% said that making a spiritual connection with God at church was important to them. These are deep philosophical challenges we face. The church as it is, is dying on the vine, but God's word tells us that His influence on the earth through the people of His church will not die. We see teenagers of Islam dedicating their lives to their faith. They are willing to die to advance their cause as well as eradicate those who are Christian or Jew. Those young people are not leaving their faith. Let's look at the great cultural divide.
First, kids growing up in the United States today do not typically witness their parents or even elders at their church display complete and wholly devoted life to Christ. Young people whose families attend church often times do not hear much about Christ at home or even see their parents read their bibles or serving others being a priority. Their lives are so filled with demanding jobs to pay for the activities to amuse and entertain themselves and their children, that there is no time left over for serving others. Isn't our typical excuse that we do not have time? Even when there is time often there is little desire to be about the work of Christ. If we were passionate about our faith we would eager to be about the work of the church. We have become spiritual harlots, adulterers. Christ is not our love above all loves. We are teaching our young people that Christ is not all that important. As harlots, we are cheaters and unfaithful to our first love and unfaithful with our hearts as we are seduced to follow the desires of our own flesh. Our kids are not deceived by our instruction to love God with all our hearts when our actions are so different. "These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—" Revelation 3:14-17. Could it be that God speaks so harshly about ambivalent hearts because of the devastation it causes our children? It teaches our children that Christ is not worthy of our very lives given in dedication to Him.
Second, our churches are not spending time mentoring our teens and giving them opportunities to grow their skills and practice their gifts in productive ways. Everyone who accepts Christ is equipped with spiritual gifts and talents for their specific purpose of serving Him. "Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith;" Romans 12:6. We are enticing and bribing our youth to church by games, food, and social activities to entertain them. Giving them opportunities to connect with each other is important. They need to be a support for each other but if they do not feel they have a purpose, there is no need for them to continue to participate if their main goal is to spend times with their friends once they or their friends go to college. If they are not taught to serve, their focus will continue to be on self instead of the greater cause and being apart of something bigger than themselves.
Lastly, as we tote our kids to church and the programs they offer there, they are told what to think and what to believe. The sound doctrine they hear in sunday school, bible school, and children's church, is a great supplement to the training they receive at home. But so many parents are leaving the spiritual training of their children to the church. Discussions must be had with our kids about their faith, we must engage in prayer with them and they need to know we pray for them. We must share how the mighty, loving, hand of God has answered our prayers and sustained us through our trials. And in the end, we need to explain to them that our beliefs at some point must be come theirs. A conversation needs to be had explaining the pitfalls they will face if their decisions are only based on what their parents expect them to do. At some point they need to decide what they believe. This needs to be something they are encouraged to think about. “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." Deuteronomy 6:6-9. They need to know they are needed, and boy are they needed!
Our kids need to know they carry the all important banner of Christianity. They are the warriors for the almighty who has already won the battle. The battle is fierce and very real in our world. The young people of Islam are committing themselves in droves and are equipping themselves, while Christians young and old alike are sitting on our laurels while the honor of Christ is desecrated. His kingdom must be advanced and we must share the saving power that can only come through the blood of Christ. We must be dedicated to Christ above all and be a picture to our kids of what that looks like. Our kids must know how valuable to the kingdom they really are, and help them discover ways they can put their gifts to use for Christ's glory. Then the ultimate goal is to take the teaching they have received and make it their own. We must equip our teens and treat them with more dignity than making them feel that we can hang on to them with pizza and game nights. Encouraging our teens to be continually moving toward Christ and the young people asking Christ to make them responsible for great things for His kingdom is vital, then be available to Him. The purpose is great they need to know it.
acknowledgements
http://www.conversantlife.com/theology/how-many-youth-are-leaving-the-church
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