"The programs are not working and young adults are leaving the church in droves when they hit college"
Pastor Confesses Addiction to Youth Ministry Programming “Timothy Eldred…used to spend most of his time in the office brewing ideas for flashy programs that will draw a young crowd, he confesses in his new book, 4-Hour Youth Ministry: Escaping the Trap of Full-Time Youth Ministry.”
i thought Drew Dyck had a better explanation in http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2010/november/27.40.html The Leavers: Young Doubters Exit the Church that the youth weren’t leaving because programs weren’t working, they were leaving because of much bigger differences not at all related to programs.
Intresting article…Though I think this has been going on for quite a while. The second article in “Christianity Today” to me is more enlightening on the causes of the departure. No doubt leaders of the church must take on some blame. I think many in todays church are responding to this departure through the words “Authenic and Relevent”. Also, they use these terms to appeal to the unchurched. They incorporate these items into their mission and vision statements.
This seems to be a reaction toward the church of our fathers. “We will be the one’s that will listen to your hurts.” “We will not be preachy, we will not affirm our teaching in its relation to our practice.” “We will be current with our conversations concerning world news, values of culture, and the newest trends within Christianity.”
Here are some examples i have seen to attract the leavers and unchurched
“This is not your Grandma’s Church”
Sermon topics- “John and Kate + _____________________?”
“The Office”
“Learning from pop music” (Church would sing a Mariah Carey song- What spiritual truth can we learn from her music)
Here is Southeastern’s appeal
“Gospel ministry is not always an appeal from the pulpit, in a pressed suit with people who look nice and smell nice. Gospel ministry is often done in coffee houses or on park benches, among the billions of people in the world who along with having inadequate food and shelter also have no hope of eternal life” Relevant Magazine 2009
Now i think their is a lot of truth to being real. Way too many pastors, deacons, and members sit in the Ivory towers and fail to get down into the muck and yuck of real life problems. Thus the need of authenticity, the need to mentor over programming. The problem i see is that their is a loss of balance. Many appeal to the flesh inorder to be “authentic”. While others want relationships that are cordial and distant.
This seems to be a reaction toward the church of our fathers. “We will be the one’s that will listen to your hurts.” “We will not be preachy, we will not affirm our teaching in its relation to our practice.” “We will be current with our conversations concerning world news, values of culture, and the newest trends within Christianity.”
Here are some examples i have seen to attract the leavers and unchurched
“This is not your Grandma’s Church”
Sermon topics- “John and Kate + _____________________?”
“The Office”
“Learning from pop music” (Church would sing a Mariah Carey song- What spiritual truth can we learn from her music)
Here is Southeastern’s appeal
“Gospel ministry is not always an appeal from the pulpit, in a pressed suit with people who look nice and smell nice. Gospel ministry is often done in coffee houses or on park benches, among the billions of people in the world who along with having inadequate food and shelter also have no hope of eternal life” Relevant Magazine 2009
Now i think their is a lot of truth to being real. Way too many pastors, deacons, and members sit in the Ivory towers and fail to get down into the muck and yuck of real life problems. Thus the need of authenticity, the need to mentor over programming. The problem i see is that their is a loss of balance. Many appeal to the flesh inorder to be “authentic”. While others want relationships that are cordial and distant.
Discussion