A Thread on Young Adults Leaving the Church

by Nick Judd

This article is from a Twitter Thread by Pastor Nick Judd, making them accessible for everyone to read, regardless of their access to Twitter. You can find Nick's original Twitter thread HERE.

Two thirds of young adults who attended church for at least a year, left the church for at least a year between the ages of 18-22. While there are many contributing factors to this stat, one is entirely controllable and it starts before they ever get to youth group.

  • We teach the Bible as disconnected, moral stories and wonder why kids grow up believing that it was all just a bunch of behavior modification.
    We turn Jacob and Esau into a story about getting along with your siblings and wonder why they don't take the Bible seriously.
     
  • Many who have left the church see scripture as no more authoritative or valuable than Aesop's fables. Yet, we're the ones who have created this perception. We are inadvertently fighting against our own mission.
     
  • What's the solution?
    If our volunteers can't answer the question,"what does Noah's Ark have to do with Jesus?"
    then they are not ready to teach Noah's Ark.

    As leaders in Kids Ministry,
    it is our responsibility
    to ensure that the
    Word of God is accurately taught.

  • We can't control human hearts.
    We can't control who does or doesn't show up on Sunday.
    We can't control who does and doesn't bow the knee to Christ.
    We can't control who does and doesn't believe the Word of God.
    But we can control what they're taught when they're with us. 
     
  • Kids Ministry leaders need to take a long look at the materials being used.
    The standard is not whether it teaches a good moral lesson or how fun or engaging the format is.
    The question is "what does this lesson contribute to the faith of the 18yr old versions of these kids?"

We play the long game
in the raising and education
of children everywhere but the church.

Nick Judd is the Kids Pastor at The Journey Church in Lebanon, TN. He is also the co-host of the "Everyday Apologetics" podcast. Nick is passionate about growing people in their knowledge of the Word of God and in their ability to defend it in the midst of a culture fighting against truth.

TOPICS

  • Cultural Christianity,  Discipleship,  Post-Christianity