Young People Are Leaving The Church

I was greatly dismayed by a recent article in USA Today in which the author described the mass exodus of young people from the Christian church today. It appears that nearly 70% of people between the ages of 20-30 will leave the church. That means that 7 out of 10 young people you see this weekend at church will fall away from their Christian heritage and never return. This is not very encouraging.

So why is this happening at such an alarming rate? The author cites many reasons why. Some leave home for college and are taught that Christianity is a useless vestige of our once parochial heritage. Others simply become disenchanted by the Christian religion altogether as they mature claiming that the church is merely filled with hypocrites and pretenders.

I have my own theory on why young people are bailing on church today. I think it’s because Christianity is no longer real. The modern church is desperately trying to be something it will never be – a clean version of the world. In that sense, we really are pretenders and hypocrites.

As little as 30 years ago, when you walked into a church, there was absolutely no doubt that you were actually in a Christian church. The music was different; the dress was different; and the message was different. There was a real sense of purpose in regards to God, salvation, and right living. Religion was serious business and church services were not casual and light-hearted, but filled with a sense of urgency in turning broken hearts towards God and away from sin.

This is no longer true in our modern, evangelical churches. In the last several decades, we have spent a considerable amount of time and energy trying to make Christianity more attractive by dressing the church up like the world. The music, messages, and social events are all targeted at showing people, particularly young people, that church is cool. What we now have is a church that is merely a “less-fun” alternative to the world. As a result, kids just aren’t interested because it’s fake.

There is no substitute for the truth. In fact, it is the most powerful arsenal in turning hearts to God. This is why Christ declared:

Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10)

This is the message our youth need to hear today and it doesn’t need to be attractive; it just needs to be real. Don’t worry, they can handle the truth and if Christ is correct, it’s exactly what they want to hear. Deep down inside, they are not hungry for Christian concerts, fun and games in the park with face painting and game booths, or iPad giveaways.  Those things may be cool and fun, but ultimately they don't quench the fire in our souls.

I know, some of you are saying, “We are just trying to attract people to church, then we give them the true message of Christianity.” Why do we think that we need to make Christianity attractive? Christ wasn’t attractive and his message wasn’t particular pleasing to the listener, but it was sobering to those hearts that recognized their desperate need for a Savior. Christ did not trick his listeners into hearing his message, but they came by the thousands to hear the truth of his words.

Christianity is not “attractive” from the perspective of the world and never will be because it is incompatible with the popular culture. But that’s okay because God doesn’t need us to water down the message so it is pleasing to the ear. And we don’t really need to trick kids into coming to church with gimmicks, concerts, and games. Young people can find plenty of that stuff -- and frankly, much better versions – outside of the church.

So here is a novel idea worth considering. Let’s put our energy into preaching the gospel in love and teaching our kids the sober reality of their fate apart from Christ. Who knows? Maybe, just maybe, they will stick around.