Information Related to "Some Young Adults Are Leaving Church"
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An April-May 2007 study in the United States found that young adults are leaving Christian churches in record numbers. The primary reason? They find their church irrelevant to their lives and many of its members judgmental or hypocritical.
A survey by LifeWay Research revealed that "seven in 10 Protestants ages
18 to 30 ... who went to church regularly in high school said they quit
attending by age 23 ... And 34% of those said they had not returned, even
sporadically, by age 30 ...
"'This is sobering news,' says Ed Stetzer, director of Nashville-based LifeWay Research, which is affiliated with the publishing arm of the Southern Baptist Convention. 'It seems the teen years are like a free trial on a product. By 18, when it's their choice whether to buy in to church life, many don't feel engaged and welcome,' says associate director Scott McConnell" (Cathy Lynn Grossman, "Young Adults Aren't Sticking With Church," USA Today, Aug. 8, 2007).
Most current surveys and research strongly point to a couple of basic needs that are not being met for younger adults in the churches of America and the Western world: 1) the message of their church is not meaningful and relevant to their lives, and 2) people who represent their church are perceived as not genuine or not concerned for new converts who come into the church.
For many young people, "church" has come to mean different things. And little wonder, as the branches, denominations and sects within the broader Christian world are so varied it can make a person dizzy! The message, mission and approach of the countless Christian denominations and congregations are beyond even keeping track of! Yet all claim to represent Christianity. Little wonder that so many young people find it increasingly difficult to take church seriously.
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