Notable by Their Absence
A new study by the Barna Group (Ventura, California, website: www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=BarnaUpdate&BarnaUpdateID=245) has found that many teenagers who have been active in church in one way or another separate themselves from the church when they enter their 20's. The study found that six out of ten twentysomethings who participated in church as teenagers have now distanced themselves from the church. Only 20% of twentysomethings who were actively involved in their churches as teenagers have continued to stay engaged. Compared with older adults twentysomethings are less committed to the institutional church, less likely to read their bibles or pray, less likely to volunteer their time at church, and less likely to give financially. Sarah Cunningham, a twentysomething herself, has written a book entitled Dear Church: Letters from a Disillusioned Generation that helps us non-twentysomethings understand this generation. While our congregation doesn't have many twentysomethings (and we value those who are part of our church family) in part, I think because of demographics, we have many teenagers who will likely follow this course. What thoughts do you have about this phenomenon? What can we do to change this trend?
posted by UCC Medfield at 6:55 AM
1 Comments:
I believe there are several factors at play here.
First, I believe many churches create special "youth" or "teen" worship services, with lots of rock music, hugging and swaying, teen involvement, and (usually) a dynamic, charismatic priest or minister who serves as a sort of cult leader for the young people. When these teenagers reach adulthood, many of them wonder where all the bells and whistles went as they try to assimilate into adult worship communities. Others realize what a false, ego-centered worship experience they had known in their teen years and reject therefore reject religion as false.
Another reason 20-somethings don't go to church is because it so often lacks any meaning, any depth, any heritage, any sense of being part of something larger than themselves and adoring Someone greater than themselves. This is a smart, savvy generation. They don't waste their time unless it's "the real deal."
There are probably other factors going on in Medfield... for instance, the housing market is too expensive for single 20-somethings to live here. By the time people get married, merge incomes, establish financial security, and start their exceedingly well-planned families, they are well into their 30's, or beyond. As children enter the picture, parents sense an obligation to join a church -- it's the responsible thing to do, a civic duty of sorts.
These are just my very limited observations, coming from my own experience. As I see it, our best weapon in this cultural battle is TRUTH, plain and simple. When young people perceive that something real and authentic is going on, they'll want "in."
M
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