Young Adults Aren't Sticking With Church

An article by Cathy Lynn Grossman appeared in the USA Today titled “Young Adults Aren’t Sticking With Church.”

The article presents findings by a recent survey on young people’s memberships and involvement in Protestant churches.  The article states:

“Seven in 10 Protestants ages 18 to 30 — both evangelical and mainline — who went to church regularly in high school said they quit attending by age 23, according to the survey by LifeWay Research. And 34% of those said they had not returned, even sporadically, by age 30. That means about one in four Protestant young people have left the church.”

This is startling news, even though many of us knew that church attendance in Protestant churches was down.  I personally witnessed it at my home congregation in New Jersey.  Growing up, there was a core group of us regularly attending Sunday School and Confirmation class.  But quickly after we were all confirmed, I saw less and less of my Lutheran comrades sitting in the pews on Sundays.  I always attributed their absences to college, the American rat race or moving away.  But there are other reasons that so many young adults leave the church in their large droves.  

In the article, Ed Stetzer, director of Nashville-based LifeWay Research, states, “"Too many youth groups are holding tanks with pizza. There's no life transformation taking place.  People are looking for a faith that can change them and to be a part of changing the world."  It is true, there is more of a connection to the deep dish supreme than the gospel in youth groups these days.  LifeWay Research associate director, Scott McConnell puts it this way, “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.”  There is simply a lack of a connection for many youth in the church.  There lacks the spark that engages people, that gives them feeling in their hearts, minds, souls and faith. 

I recently read Shane Claiborne’s book, The Irresistible Revolution: living as an ordinary radical.  It is a great book in which Claiborne shows how ordinary people can be radical in their faith if they do things  in unique ways.  And many of the unique ways of being radical are actually quite simple.  Shane discusses simple ways he connected with the poor and his local community.  He befriended homeless people in Philadelphia and simply got to know the poor and destitute.  His eyes and heart were opened by these unique experiences.  I’ve experienced similar feelings of love and transformation while in South Africa.  It doesn’t take any super hero actions, rather simple acts of love, kindness and peace.  Perhaps this is what Protestant youth need today, ways of practicing their faith that is completely ‘outside the box.’  In his book, Claiborne talks about the loss of youth in today’s church:

“God forgive us for all those we have lost because we made the gospel boring.  I am convinced that if we lose kids to the culture of drugs and materialism, of violence and war, it’s because we don’t dare them, not because we don’t entertain them.  It’s because we make the gospel too easy, not because we make it too difficult.  Kids want to do something heroic with their lives, which is why they play video games and join the army.  But what are they to do with a church that teaches them to tiptoe through life so they can arrive safely at death?” 

I think Shane hits the nail on the head.  The church has become too complacent with Sunday School lessons and pizza party youth gatherings. What is exciting and intriguing for kids about the Apostle’s Creed?  Maybe by providing scenarios in which the youth are challenged and start to understand the gospel by not just reading it, but living it, will transform their feelings about the church. 

There is a song that is sometimes sung in church here in South Africa.  It goes, “My father was a Lutheran, my mother was a Lutheran, that’s why I’m a Lutheran.”  For me, this was certainly the case.  As a PK², (Pastor’s kid squared,) I have grown up in the church.  I used to terrorize parishioners, running up and down the aisles as a kid, (so I am told.)  So I never really questioned my involvement in church.  Admittedly, when I went to University my involvement decreased a bit.  I attended chapel on Sundays here and there, and always made it to the “big services.”  I fell into a bit of a lull period, where I wasn’t theologically stimulated or involved.  But that changed when my mother was diagnosed with cancer.  This was a very difficult time for my family, and especially since my sisters and I were all at school.  But this is where my home congregation showed me the importance and beauty behind the church community.  People started cooking meals for my Dad and sister, cards flooded our house, and the prayers could literally be felt.  There were people I spoke with, cried with, and who supported me during the most difficult time of my life.  I then realized how important and special my church family was to me.  Without church, the support system and outpouring of love and support would not have been there.  I then realized how special church can be.  Then my new grown love for church led me to apply for the Young Adults in Global Mission program, where I have been transformed by the people, places and experiences in South Africa.  My faith has strengthened while here, and I have been engaged in a way that will always keep me involved in my church.  I have received too many blessings to not reciprocate the love.

So the million dollar question remains, what can churches do to keep young people more involved?  I don’t claim to have the absolute answer (or a million dollars!) but I have a few ideas that may prove worthy.  Something I’ve learned in South Africa is that we simply have our priorities confused back home.  Today’s church has become too self concerned with the structures and other material items rather than the youth and lifeblood of their church.  There is so much time, energy and money spent on the church “building” rather than the church “life.”  Why have we become so obsessed with the church “building” when the book of Acts tells us, “The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands.”  (Acts 17:24)  I have seen firsthand that church does not need to be in a building.  You can worship anywhere.  For example, on our first retreat this year, we worshipped under the shade of a tree outside our backpackers.  The wind was strong that day, and so was the Holy Spirit.  Our offering that day was of personal stories and reflections, and we had Holy Communion to the backdrop of the rolling hills of KwaZulu-Natal.  It was one of the most beautiful, touching and personal services I’ve been a part of.  I think there is a lot we can learn from this.  Also, a common church service here usually lasts 2-3 hours, if not more.  Church acts as a place of great praise, worship and joy.  Instead of rushing through the liturgy in order to get somewhere, people here enjoy church and what it offers.  We should focus more on the fellowship and the church as a community.  In South Africa, the church community is not one you only spend an hour with one day a week.  It is a community you see often, spend time with and share experiences with.  We need more of this at home.  I also believe that our church needs engaging, unorthodox ways of expressing our faiths.  “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God-what is good and acceptable and perfect.”  (Romans 12:2)  We should heed Apostle Paul’s message, and become the ordinary radicals that can transform people’s lives, faith and belief in their church.    

The results of the survey surely pose unsettling facts about the Protestant church.  But I don’t think it’s too late.  What the church needs to do is return to its roots, and provide the support, engagement and inspiration that it did for early Christians.  Instead of luring the church youth in with pizza and movies, we should begin by being that shoulder to cry on, the best friend you can count on, that life changing experience and live out the examples provided by the Prince of Peace.

This blog was written as a monthly reflection for the elca-mud blog, which can be found at: http://elcamud.blogspot.com/