millennials are leaving the church

When I see a preacher in a five hundred dollar suit preaching in a million dollar church, I know he is not a friend of Jesus.
When I see a preacher passing the collection basket so he can have a nice house and send his kids to college, I know he is not a friend of Jesus.
When I see a preacher ask for my w2 form in order to asses the proper "tithe" for me, I know he is not a friend of Jesus.
When I see a preacher ask somebody to sit in the back of the church because of the way he is dressed, I know he is not a friend of Jesus.
When I see a preacher promoting racism and division, I know he is not a friend of Jesus.
When I see a preacher foaming at the mouth to invade Muslim countries, I know he is not a friend of Jesus.
When I see a preacher bless a political party, I know he is not a friend of Jesus.

God is omnipresent. He does not live only in churches. Therefor my church is wherever I happen to be when the need to praise God is in me.

reply to post by groingrinder


Well said....

and when I see a preacher get up at 1:00 am and go to the bar to talk a backsliding, former church member into getting help for his problem...I see the light of Jesus in him.

When I see the preacher of a small country church open his wallet and give his last dollar to a hungry family...I see the light of Jesus in him...

I agree, God is everywhere and it is up to us to find a way to form a relationship with him. He is all around, all you have to do is talk to him.

"Split a piece of wood and you will find me, turn a stone and I am there"

I'm a little confused by the author of this article.

She says this...

Armed with the latest surveys, along with personal testimonies from friends and readers, I explain how young adults perceive evangelical Christianity to be too political, too exclusive, old-fashioned, unconcerned with social justice and hostile to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

I point to research that shows young evangelicals often feel they have to choose between their intellectual integrity and their faith, between science and Christianity, between compassion and holiness.

I talk about how the evangelical obsession with sex can make Christian living seem like little more than sticking to a list of rules, and how millennials long for faith communities in which they are safe asking tough questions and wrestling with doubt.

...and then she turns around and says this is what the "millennials" are really looking for today (based on the link she provided inside of her article)...

The kids who leave evangelical Protestantism are looking for something the world can’t give them. The world can give them hotter jeans, better coffee, bands, speakers, and book clubs than a congregation can. What it can’t give them is theology; membership in a group that transcends time, place and race; a historic rootedness; something greater than themselves; ordained men who will be spiritual leaders and not merely listeners and buddies and story-tellers. What the kids leaving generic evangelicalism seem to want is something the world can never give them–a holy Father who demands reverence, a Saviour who requires careful worship, and a Spirit who must be obeyed. They are looking for true, deep, intellectually robust spirituality in their parents’ churches and not finding it.

But not all kids who grew up in American evangelicalism are jumping off into high church rite and sacrament: congregations that carefully teach robust, historic Protestant theology to their children are notably not losing them to the Vatican, or even Lambeth.

Protestant churches that recognize their own ecclesiastical and theological heritage, training their children to value and continue it in a 21st century setting, usually retain their youth. These kids have the tools they need to think biblically through the deep and difficult issues of the day and articulate their position without having a crisis of faith. They know the headlines, church history, theology and their Bibles, and so are equipped to engage culture in a winsome, accessible way. They have a relationship with God that is not based on their feelings or commitments but on the enduring promises of the Word and so they can ride out the trends of the American church, knowing that they will pass regardless of mass defections to Rome.

thechristianpundit.org...

What totally confuses me about the author of the original article is, how does returning to "historic Protestant theology" provide an answer to those who find their current religion to be old fashioned, political and hostile to LGBT?

reply to post by adjensen

I converted from Methodism to Roman Catholicism in 2012 for that very reason -- I felt that my old church was more of a social club than a source of spiritual enlightenment and fulfillment, which the RCC does provide, at least for me.

I agree with you. A lot of churches seem to be more of a social club that is built around commercialism and emotions. I recall being a Christian as a teen as I went to church faithfully multiple times a week. As a Christian then I felt it was my duty. But no one seemed to want to socialize with me and easily looked down on you; they played more music than studied from the bible; and it seemed commercialism and Christian companies wanted to make profit than do anything Christian.

This is what frustrated me that I couldn't understand how hypocritical a lot of Christians were as they felt only having faith would save them. I guess this is one of the few reasons that lead me away to the church.

Originally posted by mikegrouchy

Well which is it.
Are you leaving the church,
or being drawn too it.

Mike

I'm not sure what your question has to do with the topic as I am most definitely not a "Millennial", being a "baby-boomer". I stopped going to church when I was 6 1/2, over 46 years ago. The only times I have been since then is for marriages, funerals and, being the dutiful son, when my Mom has asked me to at Christmas.

If you read the linked article, the author is referring to evangelical Christians of the so-called "Millennial Generation" when she refers to many of them being drawn to the older established churches such as the Roman Catholic.

reply to post by Deetermined


An opinion....from lots of reading, meditation and prayer...

The Old Testament prohibition of homosexuality had a practical backdrop and most people fail to see. Israel was a "new" country....a "new" Kingdom. They needed workers for the fields and tending the herds. They needed warriors to defend their newly gained lands.

Ancient Greece also made homosexuality illegal at one point....but they actually told the people the reasons. They did not want the "seed of man" wasted...it needed to be making children who would grow up to be soldiers and workers....

There is absolutely nothing that I have ever come across in the New testament that says it is "an abomination for a man to lie with a man as if he were a woman"...it's just not there. If I missed it somewhere, I would appreciate the book, chapter and verse.

Daoism does not decree sexuality....Buddhism does not decree the boundaries of sexuality...it has some recommendations, but that is about it...and it does not forbid anything.

I am studying Hinduism now...I have A LOT of literature to go through....but from what I have read so far....sexuality is not mandated....I might be wrong as I am fairly new to the readings.

reply to post by Damian65

There is absolutely nothing that I have ever come across in the New testament that says it is "an abomination for a man to lie with a man as if he were a woman"...it's just not there. If I missed it somewhere, I would appreciate the book, chapter and verse.

Romans 1:26-32

26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

1 Timothy 1:8-11

8 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;

9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

11 According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.

reply to post by Deetermined


Thank you.

I will need to go back and read in full context. It's very easy to "pick and choose" and then interpret...there is a name for that in reference to Christians, but I forget what it is called.

I still have to lay the practicality of population growth at the feet of this debate, but you have provided something that apparently I have taken over the years to cover/mean something else. I will do my homework.

My position on the situation rolls back to another saying of Christ...."If a man be ignorant, let him be ignorant".

I personally do not care what 2 adults do in the privacy of their home...man-woman...man-man...woman-woman..

I simply do not care. We will all stand before the throne and have to explain ourselves. What one adult does to another consenting adult is between them and God...I do not need or want to be involved.

But that is my opinion. Perhaps I am wrong...perhaps allowing this to be an issue for God himself accelerates the hour of his judgement. And...maybe that is not such a bad thing....

reply to post by Nevertheless
Wow really bothers you that much? The only civilized country that still acts like this. Well just take solace in the fact that most don't and stop letting it keep you up at nights.

Originally posted by Deetermined
I'm a little confused by the author of this article.

She says this...

Armed with the latest surveys, along with personal testimonies from friends and readers, I explain how young adults perceive evangelical Christianity to be too political, too exclusive, old-fashioned, unconcerned with social justice and hostile to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

I point to research that shows young evangelicals often feel they have to choose between their intellectual integrity and their faith, between science and Christianity, between compassion and holiness.

I talk about how the evangelical obsession with sex can make Christian living seem like little more than sticking to a list of rules, and how millennials long for faith communities in which they are safe asking tough questions and wrestling with doubt.

...and then she turns around and says this is what the "millennials" are really looking for today (based on the link she provided inside of her article)...

The kids who leave evangelical Protestantism are looking for something the world can’t give them. The world can give them hotter jeans, better coffee, bands, speakers, and book clubs than a congregation can. What it can’t give them is theology; membership in a group that transcends time, place and race; a historic rootedness; something greater than themselves; ordained men who will be spiritual leaders and not merely listeners and buddies and story-tellers. What the kids leaving generic evangelicalism seem to want is something the world can never give them–a holy Father who demands reverence, a Saviour who requires careful worship, and a Spirit who must be obeyed. They are looking for true, deep, intellectually robust spirituality in their parents’ churches and not finding it.

There are some points here. She does offer some real evaluations.

The church made problems for itself when it became the bell weather and governor of society in many ways. And it had its day. It tried to keep its day even after other stronger forces gained ground as social/cultural normative interpreters. All this raise and fall started in the late 60s, in earnest anyway.

My point is that the church traded Jesus in for social position. Became a pillar of society. Forgot the part about being in it but not off it. So when society began to shift so to say, pillars started to fall. So now what you have looks more like Lots wife than salt of the earth.

I'm a "Millenial" and I don't want to leave the church...that might have to do with coming from the Bible Belt, though. I just wish all of the social club churchgoers and close minded churchgoers who forever spout rhetoric would give it a rest because most people are sick of it.

Check out Reddit.com's atheist subreddit. It's full of some very PO'd millennials who are turning their backs on both religion and, oftentimes, the parents who are still spouting religion to them.

Religion had a purpose when we didn't know what lightning was, or why people got sick and died, or why bad things befell good people. It was nice having an all-purpose excuse, 'god works in mysterious ways', or 'the gods are angry'.

Once we figured out a lot of those things, the usefulness of religion devolved to explaining the origin of the universe (perfect catch-22 because you'll never really know the answer to that one and 'god' is simply a placeholder for unknown), and otherwise a fake list of do's and do-nots, as if people couldn't figure out morals on their own and have to be scared of hell to not kill each other.

People hate being lied to and religion is one of the biggest lies ever.

Just as an aside, if all the religious people down through the ages had refused to take part in all the wars (even the religious ones, heh) well, we'd have had an awful lot more peace. You don't see the atheists and agnostics going to war all that much and it seems overwhelmingly that the recruits in the US armed forces are bible thumping believers. What's up with that given the most important commandment of all?