All About GOD - Growing Relationships with Jesus and Others
Why are young adults walking away from God?
I recently read a report that as many as 70% of our youth who have grown up in the faith will walk away from that faith after high school.
I ask this question because I run a Christian youth center. Every night we end the day with a devotional. I always try to add some apologetic's to the message so they can defend their faith but am wondering what else I should do to help keep them in the faith.
Why are they leaving?
What is the church doing wrong if anything?
Is this just part of the great falling away?
I'll post the website for those who are interested.
http://www.fjoutreach.webs.com
Blessings and thanks for your feedback and answers.
Gary
Views: 1133
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Gary Schultz on
-
I agree with you watchman,
This is also a struggle for our ministry. We have pool tables, a gym, and many other things you would expect at a youth center. We try to be the salt and light and let the love of Jesus show in everything that goes on.
We do a devotional at the end of the night, a music ministry one Sat a month, only allow Christian music. We preach the gospel and do not water down the Word or make apologies for the truth. We take trips to Christian concerts and festivals.
I know all we can do is plant seeds with the truth and let God do the rest, we just don't want to fall short of doing everything we can.
-
Permalink Reply by Tammy on
-
Actually watchman, it sounds pretty on point to me. We're so busy entertaining that we forget to lay the foundation. Eventually, the building falls. We take the world & try to bring it in the churches & sugar coat it with the name of Jesus & think that does it. I know one youth pastor who takes Snoop Dog's songs & rewrites them to make them Christian. My belief is the Lord doesn't need any of the world to get His message across. There are way too many awesome Christian songs that no one needs to add the world. When did Jesus need to pull the ways of the world into His messages to get the gospel across?
Another reason I feel they pull away is because the world offers so much more. It has its bells & whistles, bling & what not. That's why we need to depend on Christ alone instead of catering to them by bringing in those bells & whistles. Christ's words & teachings are just as strong today as they were 2000 years ago. There is no need to add anything. I do feel we need to keep them involved but we also need to be careful on how we do that.
One last thing I have a problem with is the youth services. While visiting here in Texas searching for a church home, we found that many of those churches have separate church services. I think maybe once a month would be good but not every week. It separates the family & sorta says that the adult services are boring or not good enough for them so they need something else. But that's just an opinion. I love worshipping with the youth. They have that added zest & energy that many of us have lost over the years. It's exciting to see a youth worship that truly loves the Lord at such a young age. I think their Wednesday night services separate are a good thing. They need their own time but again, I feel Sunday morning should be with the family or at least some of those Sundays.
-
-
I agree Tammy,
Many of the kids that go to the Outreach are going 100mph and expect to be entertained the whole time they are there.
-
-
Thanks Tim,
What I gather from your post is that we should be equipping our youth better and helping them stay connected.
-
Permalink Reply by David Samuel Milumba on
-
My answer is that the leave because the love of God is not in them, they are not truly born again Christians but are just convents, they have no understanding so as to know Him who is the TRUTH, they have no strength to over come the world with all it's lusts hence they leave, once you experience the love of God it is very impossible to live the truth and embrace the shadow, true christian s will stand any kind of hardships because the one who is in them, the TRUTH Jesus Christ will keep them strong.
-
Permalink Reply by RoyW on
-
Gary,
I can't think of anything in this world that is a sadder report than this one you are reporting about. And it is being reported as such from more than one agency. We have been hit by a solid front from the enemy and we have not responded well. Our children are leaving the church in great numbers.
I think the reason is due to our compromising Scripture. Jesus is the Lord that is being reported in the Bible. When we compromise Him and His teachings, we are really dismissing Him as the Lord of this universe. We know Jesus from the Word. If we do not accept His Word, we compromise the entire Christian faith. Kids want something that is real. They don't want a bunch of phony baloney.
-
-
Beloved, today we hear a Babel of voices in the church crying for more
relevant, contemporary ways to reach the world. And many bizarre, fleshly
programs are being tried. Yet, in my many years of ministry, I have seen these
kinds of programs come and go. They rely totally on appeasing the flesh, having
nothing to do with the cross. The crowds they draw live empty, unfulfilled
lives, having never been exposed to the gospel of separation from the world and
its lusts. The world scoffs at these programs, recognizing them all as mere
foolishness. --David Wilkerson
-
-
I agree, Amen.
The other night, during our devotional, I told the kids I believed the Bible to be the true word of God. I also told them that until they read the Word for themselves they will never know truth.
Before the end of the night four kids asked for Bibles and reading plans.
I am convinced that we can not water down the Word. Sharing the gospel without compromise seems to have the greatest impact.
Blessings
God is soooooo cooooool
Gary
-
Permalink Reply by Amanda on
-
Cool, indeed!
“The good news of the kingdom is not freedom from hardship, suffering, and loss. It is the news of a Redeemer who has come to rescue me from myself. His rescue produces change that fundamentally alters my response to these inescapable realities. The Redeemer turns rebels into disciples, fools into humble listeners. He makes cripples walk again. In him we can face life and respond with faith, love, and hope. And as he changes us, he allows us to be a part of what he is doing in the lives of others. As you respond to the Redeemer’s work in your life, you can learn to be an instrument in his hands.”
― Paul David Tripp, Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands: People in Need of Change Helping People in Need of Change
- ‹ Previous
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- Next ›
Welcome to
All About GOD
The Good News
Meet Face-to-Face & Collaborate
© 2024 Created by AllAboutGOD.com.
Powered by
