YOUNG ADULTS

To follow up on Thursday’s blog about politics in the pulpit -- we should ask the question: ‘Why are young adults walking away from religion?’

This has, of course, been written and talked about at length in blogs and messages and books and articles, and although answers vary from person to person, there seem to be trends that apply in most cases.

We think they are Narrow-Minded there:  That’s where the political discussion comes into play, for one.  Believers are not on the same page about every issue where the matter may be disputable.  If it’s found in the Bible, we don’t have to debate it (or compromise).  But if it isn’t, there is a world of acceptance and appreciation for others’ beliefs that need to be granted.  Young adults don’t see that happening within church circles.

We’ve Been Hurt: Sometimes there is a hurt that is inflicted that came from the church itself.  Millions claim a wound they can trace back to church that has never healed.  Why?  In part, because the church rarely seeks forgiveness.

We don’t think Young Adult Life and Church Mix: There are the obvious things, like scheduling activities on Sunday mornings (hint: young people tend to go out on Saturday nights which is why we have begun a Saturday night service in time for them to come and still go out if they want to - then they can sleep in on Sundays), but there’s more to it than that.  In college, and before that by our parents, we’re taught to explore the world, broaden our horizons, think critically, question everything and figure out who we are as individuals.  But Church is more about community.  In many ways, it represents, fairly or not, sameness, conformity and a “check your brain at the door” ethos.  This stands in opposition to what the world is telling us is important right now. 

We’re Skeptical: We’re exposed to more ad impressions in a month today than any other previous generation experienced in a lifetime.  Pick up your phone and they are there, too.  Online as well.  Whereas generations before us expended energy seeking information, now it comes at us in such overwhelming doses that we spend at least the same amount of energy filtering them all out.  This leads to a hardening of the senses, always assuming that whoever is trying to get your attention wants something, just like everyone else.  Young adults put church in that category very often.

We’re Exhausted: Consider how many more of us go to college today, compared to generations before.  And consider that the baseline standard for family economics requires a two-income revenue stream to live at any level of middle class.  Debt and credit are givens, and working full-time while trying to maintain a marriage, raise kids, have friends and have time left for ourselves leaves us with less than nothing.  We’re always running a deficit.  So when you ask me to set aside more time and money for church, you’re trying to tap already empty reserves.

We Don’t Get It: Young adults today are the most un-churched generation in a long time.  In many cases, it’s not that we’re walking away from church; we never went in.  From what I can tell from the outside, there’s not much relevance to my life in there, and I’m not about to waste my hard-earned to prove that I might be wrong because I don’t think I am.

It’s a challenge.  But it’s also filled with great excitement, that if we can just address a few of these important questions, what a future we have.
 
And be blessed.