In 2008, the American Religious Identification Survey [ARIS]*
found an 85% increase in people who self identify as atheists in less than 20
years. Virtually every main line church is reporting declines of 2-15% in
membership over the same time. 15% of
the US population now self identifies as “none.” The body of Christ is
bleeding.
Adam Lee, who writes a blog called the Daylight Atheist,
says “I’d love to say that [atheist’s] dazzling wit and slashing rhetorical
attacks are persuading people to abandon organized religion in droves…But the
truth is that the church’s wounds are largely self-inflicted."
The Barna Group has studied the Millennials to determine why
they are leaving the church.** 59% of young adults raised in the church
disconnect from church life for an extended period of time after age 15. The
six main reasons were:
1) they feel they were getting an unsatisfying, shallow,
inauthentic version of Christianity
2) they feel the church was overprotective
3) they perceive judgmental attitudes around sex and
sexuality
4) they perceive “unfriendliness” to members grappling with
doubt
5) they perceive “exclusivity” in Christian churches
6) the tense relationship between Christianity and science
Equally enlightening is a series of interviews of young
adults who have maintained a connection to faith communities.*** They expressed
that what they wanted was a community that encourages social justice, a place
of creative and critical thinking, and a space free of judgment. And that
churches should “ focus their engagement on actions that serve the common good
or speak up for the oppressed rather than
opposing a controversial issue because of theological objections.”
Some Christians wonder if the church should change to meet
the needs and desires of society before becoming irrelevant. That is a myopic,
perilous and unnecessary train of
thought.
As I look back at the issues raised by those who left and
those who remained, I am struck by how perceptive they are about a church that
has lost its way. We are being called back to our roots by this generation, to
do and to be what is required of us. They “get it”. Do Justice, Love Mercy and Walk Humbly with God. Everything else is
incidental. They want us to focus on the
main things and keep the main things the main things. They have taken the core
values to heart and call us on it when we have become hypocritical about them. They are asking us to put blood on the word.
They are asking us to lead as a servant leads – with patience, kindness,
humility, respectfulness, selflessness, forgiveness, honesty and commitment.
Why Church? Because what we are called to do (see above) is
HARD WORK! It is HARD to be just when we are confronted with choices every day
between doing what is right and what is expedient/profitable/in our own
self-interest. It is HARD to show mercy to everyone – especially the ones who
hurt us or the ones we don’t think “deserve” it. It is HARD to walk humbly with
God when we crave some certainty in our lives and when friends, co-workers or
the culture dismisses our values. It is
HARD to practice patience, kindness, humility and so on -- ALL the time.
The church is the assembly of believers that nourishes and
sustains me while I endeavor do the work of God in the world. It equips me, it
centers me, it gives me strength in the proclaiming of the Gospel. It picks me up when I fall. It administers the sacraments to restore my
soul. If it didn’t/doesn’t do that then
I’d have to agree that there doesn’t seem to be much point to it.
The Millennial part of the body of Christ is calling on the
other parts to stop self-inflicting wounds and get back to doing what is
required.
May the Lord so bless us.
Amen.
Paul S.
* http://commons.trincoll.edu/aris/about-aris/
- if you want to learn about the survey
** See You Lost Me:
Why Young Christians are Leaving Church and Rethinking Church.
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