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Top 10 Reasons our Kids Leave Church
- Thread starter Blake Bowden
- Start date
Roach
Registered User
For me I think you have to be able to challenge their mind and engage in their thoughts. Most of us I'm sure ask our kids how was church? Did you have fun, but how often do we ask if they have questions about what the learned that day. Instead we rush home to change and move on the the next activity. I think you have to get the youth to ask questions and to seek out the answers and as parents we must be there to help guide them not only on sunday but everyday.
BrianMcMLG
Registered User
Sadly, the author may have hit the proverbial nail right smack center on the head...to a point. The article was a great read and started me to think of my own life and decisions. I am 30 years old now. When I was younger, my family took me to a strictly Catic church which jammed the idea of an angry and vengeful God down my throat to the point where I was almost afraid to ever do or say or think "anything." This was drove me away from church. Why dedicate my time to be told two thousand reasons why God is angry at me, when all I was doing was what I thought was going to keep him happy? Of course, since then, I've grown...spiritually as well as physically. The church I now attend is much like the ones described in the article...the middle age pastor dressing and carrying himself as a "cool or hip" dude in his 20's, the rock band instead of the traditional choir, the padded stadium seating instead of the hard wooden pews, etc...
This is where I disagree with the author of the article. These aspects are part of what brought me back to church. My church is a non-denominational Christianity based congregation, that like our Fraternity, asks only that you believe in a Creator but does not necessarily force specifics of what that belief should be. The sermons are worded in a way that persons of just about any religious beliefs will walk out understanding the same messages.
I guess, to me, the idea of the church changing with times was appealing, as it was a change from what had driven me away when I was younger. It feels less like a job to go to church. I now thoroughly enjoy attending service. The message of God's glory comes across equally strong through "cool dude" Pastor Kyle as it would through "Mr Old School" church pastor who screams angry messages to those who will listen. To me, this modernizing of the church halls themselves, as well as the music and messages therein, at least in New Jersey, seems to be bringing a lot of people back. The message of the undying love of God instead of God's anger seems to appeal much more to a generation in thier teens and early 20's. We are always welcoming newcomers. In the four years I have atteneded the Connect Church, I have seen attendance increase by over triple, and the majority of this has been through word of mouth. For example, I made mention to a friend that my church had a rock band....my friend and his entire family are now regulars who can be found in the front row every week.
I understand where the author was coming from, and respect his views. I just disagree with that one aspect of his article and hope my point of view might inspire some more thoughtful conversation on this topic.
Sorry for the long post.
Brother EA Brian McFadden
Freemason Connect Mobile
This is where I disagree with the author of the article. These aspects are part of what brought me back to church. My church is a non-denominational Christianity based congregation, that like our Fraternity, asks only that you believe in a Creator but does not necessarily force specifics of what that belief should be. The sermons are worded in a way that persons of just about any religious beliefs will walk out understanding the same messages.
I guess, to me, the idea of the church changing with times was appealing, as it was a change from what had driven me away when I was younger. It feels less like a job to go to church. I now thoroughly enjoy attending service. The message of God's glory comes across equally strong through "cool dude" Pastor Kyle as it would through "Mr Old School" church pastor who screams angry messages to those who will listen. To me, this modernizing of the church halls themselves, as well as the music and messages therein, at least in New Jersey, seems to be bringing a lot of people back. The message of the undying love of God instead of God's anger seems to appeal much more to a generation in thier teens and early 20's. We are always welcoming newcomers. In the four years I have atteneded the Connect Church, I have seen attendance increase by over triple, and the majority of this has been through word of mouth. For example, I made mention to a friend that my church had a rock band....my friend and his entire family are now regulars who can be found in the front row every week.
I understand where the author was coming from, and respect his views. I just disagree with that one aspect of his article and hope my point of view might inspire some more thoughtful conversation on this topic.
Sorry for the long post.
Brother EA Brian McFadden
Freemason Connect Mobile
LittleHunter
Registered User
A little competition is good in business. That is the basis of capitalism. I believe the same holds true for churches and religions. I encourage people to shop around. Most people of my generation consider themselves Spiritual rather than adhering to one strict religion anyway. The Middle Ages are over. We each must develop
A personal relationship with our Creator.
Churches, preachers and pastors can't do that for us. We must do it for ourselves.
Freemason Connect Mobile
A personal relationship with our Creator.
Churches, preachers and pastors can't do that for us. We must do it for ourselves.
Freemason Connect Mobile
BrianMcMLG
Registered User
BryanMaloney
Premium Member
Spot on. Spot on. Spot on.
That describes my mother-in-law's congregation to almost perfection (except the head pastor at least maintains his age-appropriate dignity). Indeed, when I tried to bring my horribly old-fashioned approach to Christ into that congregation, I essentially met a blank wall from most of the parishoners. The pastor seemed to get the point, but eventually I (and my now-wife) ended up returning to my own Church. (I had started attending my mother-in-law's because at the time my now-wife was at the time a practicing Baptist.) It was just far too much swimming upstream against people who were fixated on emotional highs, and the Gospel According to Chuck Swindoll.
That describes my mother-in-law's congregation to almost perfection (except the head pastor at least maintains his age-appropriate dignity). Indeed, when I tried to bring my horribly old-fashioned approach to Christ into that congregation, I essentially met a blank wall from most of the parishoners. The pastor seemed to get the point, but eventually I (and my now-wife) ended up returning to my own Church. (I had started attending my mother-in-law's because at the time my now-wife was at the time a practicing Baptist.) It was just far too much swimming upstream against people who were fixated on emotional highs, and the Gospel According to Chuck Swindoll.
