Posted on 09/16/2014 10:32:38 AM PDT by MNDude
OK, we get it. Millennials are leaving the church in droves! Sound the alarms! Circle the wagons!
Not much makes me angrier than seeing those articles that make the rounds on Facebook every few months. You know the ones: a pastor claims to know why Millennials are really walking away from church. This particular article has proven especially resilient; it pops up in my Newsfeed every few months, to much acclaim. This one, the one that really pushed my buttons and prompted me to finally start the blog we’ve been talking about for a month now, calls these articles to task, purporting to know “how the church really lost the millennials.” (Cliff notes: it says the exact same thing as all the other articles.) This one innovatively shifts the focus to Sunday School rather than youth group, but the conclusion is the same.
(Excerpt) Read more at swingingfromgrapevines.wordpress.com ...
Dave Ramsey is OK to a point.
However, as a CFP with more than 30 years experience, I am troubled by Ramsey being a former follower of Art Williams of AL Williams disrepute.
That guy was a crook and an idiot.
The foundation of Dave Ramsey is to use the debt snow ball to get out of debt and then avoid debt like the plague. Good advice for everyone and especially the youth.
You walk away because nothing seems to make sense. Certainly in the context of the culture you live and breathe, it seems to make no sense. The problem is that growing up in church and knowing God are two different things; they do not automatically accompany one another. They could and should but its not automatic.
At some point, though, you begin to realize God is playing a much deeper game and you’re part of it.
And you begin to love him; not just believing in him but love. That doesn’t happen on anyone’s time table and it doesn’t happen when someone ticks off your check boxes as in the above article.
You begin to know more than you can explain, and what you want to know can’t even be put into words. The issues listed in this piece are just surface flotsam.
Real church doesn’t happen when you sit your seat into a pew, but when the Spirit takes up residence in and around you and begins to move the furniture around in your life to suit himself. Until that happens nothing is ever going to satisfy or make sense.
Often in the name of ‘social justice’ the youth minister, often with a Master’s Degree... get’s paid the same as the janitor.
Despite the fact that many good pastors will tell you that the YM is the lynchpin in their parish for long term growth.
.
Standing O for your post!!!
Ping for later
Examples please...
Would love to have a sidebar with you on this one...
Maybe this is one of those non theological songs...
http://hillsong.com/blogs/collected/2014/july/this-i-believe-the-creed-song-story
And yet didn't the religious elite of Jesus's day condemn him because he hung around with scum like tax-collectors, whores, and Samaritans?
Moreover, I am reminded of the story of Jesus and the Woman Caught in Adultery — while it is certainly possible that it was a false accusation [or selective application of the law] because there was no man also brought, that is inconsequential as Jesus treated the matter as if the accusation were true, but he replied: Let him who has no sin cast the first stone
and then those accusing her left (from oldest to youngest) indicating that His words wer very convicting. Then, at the end, what does He say to the woman? Neither do I [condemn you]. Go and sin no more.
How will those who are broken be reached unless some go to them? and is the Church here in America fulfilling this role? — How will the world know of God's goodness if His people refuse to act like their God?
being doers, not hears only] James.
Sure. What are you thinking about?
On the target. "I don't get anything out of Church" sums up the problem. They should try "I came to Church to give thanks." Try giving instead of getting.
I would argue that in large pert the problem is old folks that are constantly engaged in petty skirmishes to exert control over this or that.
That is true. The Holy Spirit changes us. We don’t change by ourselves. What if the reason for most Millennials leaving the Church is because God has not called them yet, if He ever does? What if God is removing Himself from the world and it is not our culture erasing Him from the world?
“Draw Me Close”
“Friend of Sinners”
“I Want to Lavish”
“Let My Words Be Few”
“God With Us”
“How He Loves”
I love reading these threads where all the old farts around here heap scorn and derision on the author rather than actually read what the author says. I guess it’s much easier to ridicule instead of admit that there’s a problem with the process and make changes that work. Comfort zones and all that...
But that’s OK. Churches that are stuck in their earthly ways of yesteryear will just die off as new churches are born.
A friend of mine just started a church last week. I wish him God’s blessings in all he does to reach people that the old churches refuse to welcome.
“we’re leaving church because it speaks against sin”
DING DING DING
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