The "Dechurched" -- I
I have spent the last 9 years dealing mostly with people between the ages of 12-30. More recently my time has included adults, but some prevailing themes have been present in many conversations. The consistent exodus of young (and old) through the church has created a glaring problem for American churches. More recently, in order to compensate for that trend, churches have focused on young people by trying to create environments similar to those young people are drawn to. Bars, clubs, gyms, etc. But I believe the reasons people are leaving the church are more significant than cool lighting. They are many, but I want to spend time focused on four.
First, people leave the church because they don't believe the truth. Many people have heard "the truth" over and over. But there is a difference between knowing and believing. I can be told something over and over from childhood. So much so that I can repeat it verbatim back to my teachers. I can answer as many questions on the topic as necessary to prove my expertise. This matters not if I do not believe these truths. When the temptation of certain pleasure looms or future riches, if I do not believe I will falter.
Second, people leave the church because God did not come through the way they wanted him to. He or she behaved, and they were "rewarded" with difficulty and struggle. This is often attributed to family members who promised that if you "follow God, everything will get better." And then it doesn't. Then what? Naturally, people begin to question if it's just them. Was I good enough? Why doesn't he help me too?
Third, a misplaced trust can lead to destruction. People often leave the church because their pastor failed them. This is highlighted in a mass exodus at a mega church when the entire event plays out in front of the media. But the reality is, it happens every day in smaller scales at churches around the country.
Fourth, none of this ever made any sense. One might qualify that a person who never understood the gospel of Jesus was never a part of the church, but I will include this anyways. Some might say this is an "academic disbelief." The Bible is full of errors and contradictions. Jesus wasn't real/was married. Science and reason. But I propose there are just as many unknowns on either side of the equation, and this objection is more often than not a judgment of the Bible based on 1) misunderstanding or 2) hypocrisy in the church.
It is with hope that I undertake to challenge all of those "reasons", more for my own sake than anything else. I believe that in examining these things I will be better able to love my neighbor, shepherd the flock, and walk in truth.














