#1093 – Millennial Exodus

Jesus told Peter that the gates of Hades wouldn’t overcome the church, but millennials leaving the church might.

Just kidding.

The Church is exploding in other parts of the world, but those of us in the United States should be concerned with an apparent exodus of millennials.

CNN.com had a story on a Pew Research Center report, which found that the number of religiously unaffiliated in the United States has grown in recent years. That number has grown the most among millennials, more than one-third of whom no longer claim a religious affiliation, up 10 percent from 2007.

The report sets millennials as those born between 1990-1996. As someone who has worked and works with people born during those years, this report alarmed me. I’ve invested a lot of my life and time in millennials, hoping to see them commit their lives to Christ and his purposes. And while I’ve definitely seen my fair share of millennials leave the church, I’ve also seen plenty stay connected.

As a youth pastor, here are a few ways I think older generations in the church can help younger generations stay connected.

Serving

One of the best ways to keep young people connected to the church is to get them serving. Most of the volunteer leaders for our youth group are under 25 and definitely haven’t abandoned the church. We encourage our students to start serving while they’re young. Serving allows young people to see that they have a place in the life of the church and gives them an opportunity to use their gifts. Instead of simply consuming youth group or weekend services, serving gives young people more ownership in the life of the church. I know that I wouldn’t be where I am if I hadn’t started serving when I was in junior high. Young people are more willing to stay connected to a church if they have been given the opportunity to invest their time and talents into it.

Authenticity

The CNN article speculates on some reasons why millennials have left the church. It says:

Other experts blame innovations such as the rise of the Internet and social web, where religions can be fact-checked in real time and seekers can find communities of like-minded iconoclasts.

I’ve had plenty of conversations with young people about their doubts and reservations. Young people and millennials are going to question Christian beliefs and wrestle with their own doubts. Instead of turning to the Internet for answers, though, they should be turning to older and more mature believers. Unfortunately most adults couldn’t care less about pouring into the lives of young people; they’re too focused on their own needs and problems. Millennials and other young people know if an older person genuinely cares about them or is simply looking out for his or her own interests. We need to be authentic with young people, admitting to our own doubts and struggles. If we present a perfect face without any cracks, then young people will look to someone else. Young people and millennials have extremely sensitive BS meters, so we need to be appropriately open and honest.

Worship Services

Andy Stanley was a speaker at the Catalyst Conference last month, which I attended. In his talk Stanley shared things that he would change about the evangelical church in America. One of his changes involved planning worship services for 15-year-olds instead of 50-year-olds. Most of the worship services I’ve attended over the years haven’t been geared to me. When I was in high school my pastor always used examples that applied to parents and people with careers. Now that I’m older I definitely connect more with our church’s worship services, but I worry that they’re not connecting with our students. We don’t have a Sunday school class for high school students because we want them to attend worship services. High school students need to get into the habit of regularly attending worship services because it gives them a place to feel connected after they graduate. If those services don’t connect with them, though, then why would they want to keep coming when a parent stops forcing them? It’s true that 50-year-olds tithe more than 15-year-olds, but unless worship services are geared towards them, the 15-year-olds will leave the church and the 50-year-olds will eventually die. And when that happens no one will go to church.

I’ve dedicated my life to working with young people and it breaks my heart when even one of them leaves the church. Ultimately that choice is for each individual to make, but older generations have the responsibility to help young people make a choice for Christ. This isn’t optional for older and more mature believers if we want to see the Church thrive once we’ve trade pews for caskets.

How did an older person help you stay committed to the church?