The Washington Post published an article today concerning teens leaving churches. The article stated that many teens and young adults are leaving churches because they see them as judgmental and unfriendly. Many say that their Christian experience has been shallow and the they consider most congregations antagonistic to science. David Kinnaman has done of study of 1,296 young adults who were current or former churchgoers. Researchers found that 59 percent of young adults leave church life either permanently or for an extended period of time after age 15. One in four 18-29 year olds said, "Christians demonize everything outside of the church." One in three said, "Church is boring." Skepticism towards authority, Christianity, and the Bible have heightened due to the influx of technology. The world of young adults is changing in significant ways.
I found this article very interesting. I could talk about this topic for hours. So, I will try and keep my thoughts as short and clear as I possibly can in this next paragraph.
There is so much involved when it comes to topic of young adults and religion. What I believe the root to this whole problem is the Gospel and how it is being proclaimed. Today in United States, for the most part, we have so dumbed-down or watered-down the Gospel that it is really almost meaningless. Today, we see the Gospel being more man-centered, rather than Christ-centered. Many "preachers" or "evangelists" talk about how you can have your best life now or what Jesus can do for you. We quickly run past the fact that we are sinners and swiftly move to the part about how you can go to heaven and how Jesus will just give you what you need. The Gospel is only good news to sinners. We are all wicked, evil hopeless sinners. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). There is no one who seeks God (Romans 3:11). However, God in his infinite love and mercy, poured out his wrath upon his one and only perfect, sinless Son. Whoever will believe and put their trust in faith in Jesus will be saved (John 3:16). Those who are truly saved will be changed. Their life style, desires, associations, friends, music, entertainment, clothing, etc. will all be different from that of the world. They will bear fruit of their salvation (John 15). If there is not a changed life that desires the things of the Lord and not the things of the world, then you can be sure that they not saved, although ultimately that is up to God to say. This is not the Gospel that is preached today. We accept anything and everything. We don't make a stand for truth and what is right and wrong. Therefore, if someone does stand up and say that something is right or wrong, they are usually accused of being judgmental, when in fact they are just being biblical. I believe that if the true, unadjusted Gospel was preached from the pulpits today, then we would see many problems like this one diminish. There will always be problems because we are all sinners, but I think you would see a dramatic decrease. We need to quick watering-down our view of God and the Gospel, bring down our view of man, and elevate our view of God and his Word. I pray that church would wake up, be regenerated, and begin to proclaim and truly practice what the Word of God says.
What do you think? Are you a Christian that loves the ways of the Lord and not the world? Or, are you not a follower of Christ and would like to become one? Either way, I plead with you to cling to Christ for the rock of your salvation, and not the world.
I totally agree with you that Jesus Christ is watered to an almost meaningless name in some churches. That is why I am so grateful to be a member of a church that believe and makes Christ the center of everything. We believe that through Christ and Christ only we may return to God, because it is true we all are sinful and fall short of His kingdom(1 Corinthians 6:9). I know a lot of people think that believing is just assuming Jesus Christ lived. Belief in Christ calls for exact obedience in his example. Repentance and baptism too are necessary. Although Christ never needed to repent, he was baptized as an example for all of us. Because we are not perfect as Christ, we must repent and strive to be better. Thanks for your wonderful example as a follower of Christ.
ReplyDeleteVery well said. I am also very grateful to be a member of a church that seeks the glory of God above the glory of the world. We are a very small, Reformed, Baptist congregation, but we all have a common goal in seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Where do you go to church? I don't know a lot about you and your family, but from what you have said, I respect them very much. If the Lord so chooses, I would love to homeschool my children and have a large family like your family. I believe that you cannot separate education and child rearing from discipleship. Thank you as well for your example of Christ, it is so good to meet another brother in Christ through this class.
ReplyDeleteI am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It is so-called because we believe the original church Christ organized has been restored in these latter days. We have a prophet, temples, baptism, confirmation, the sacrament, and everything Christ had in his original church.
ReplyDeleteThe reason our family is so large is the fact that we believe that families may be together for the eternities. So families are important to us.
Our Church isn't a Protestant one, although we are most definitely Christians. So I don't really know much about the beliefs of the Baptists. Is there anything that separates your church from other Baptist religions?
I see. Well our church is just like other Baptist churches except we believe in Reformed Theology. Reformed Theology goes back to the Protestant Reformation. We believe in the five Solas of the Reformation.
ReplyDelete-Sola Scriptura: The Scripture Alone is the Standard
-Soli Deo Gloria! For the Glory of God Alone
-Solo Christo! By Christ's Work Alone are We Saved
-Sola Gratia: Salvation by Grace Alone
-Sola Fide: Justification by Faith Alone
And we also believe in the 5 points of Calvinism. However, we are not in any way Hyper-Calvinist. This is the main difference between our church and other Baptist churches.