Black Young Adults How to Reach Them, What to Teach Them by Walter Arthur McCray

But as wonderful a community I find there, I rarely ever bring questioning friends to a Sunday service.

For example, I attend a vibrant church of mostly 20somethings where my small group community supports and loves each other and frequently parties together. Of course, some churches do intentionally engage younger generations. Thinking about it, these findings make sense: the format of most churches is not a dialogue, which it seems most of these young people crave, but a lecture, and the conversations that do exist largely consist of homogenous thought. This generation harbors abundant questions about living a life of faith (as shown by reasons 4 through 6), but the church's attitude, or at least perceived attitude, fails to celebrate questioning as part of a faith process (as shown by reasons 1, 2, 3 and 6). But here is the million dollar question: Who is talking to my generation? Or better yet, who is listening to my generation?Īs I look at these reasons for why young people leave the church, I see a pattern: most churches are simply not designed to disciple people through their spiritual questions. In the immortal words of The Who, they are 'Talkin' 'bout my generation' (which is ironic because many of the people talking are the original generation to which The Who referred).

The church feels unfriendly to those who doubt.

Christianity seems exclusive, which they wrestle with.

Church attitudes toward sexuality are often simplistic and judgmental.

Churches come across as antagonistic to science.

Teens' and 20somethings' experience of Christianity is shallow.

An article by the Barna Group, as well as David Kinnaman's new book, You Lost Me, outline these findings, and the primary reasons why young people leave the church. Nearly three out of every five young Christians (59 percent) disconnect either permanently or for an extended period of time from church life after age fifteen. The Barna Group came out last year with their findings on a multi-year study, 'The Faith That Lasts Project,' which surveyed 18-29 year olds who had been active in a Christian church as teenagers.

But here's the elephant in the room: What can we do? As a 26-year-old Christian, I regularly witness this exodus and acutely feel its significance. We see it everywhere: Younger generations are leaving the church.

Black Young Adults How to Reach Them, What to Teach Them by Walter Arthur McCray