Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Careers, Workplace and Religion
Churches are Not Reaching the Young Adult Generation: A Solution

Churches are Not Reaching the Young Adult Generation: A Solution

Last updated on: September 7, 2016 at 7:18 am by Bob Robinson

Churches are Not Reaching the Young Adult Generation: A Solution 2016-09-02T15:09:35-04:00 Bob Robinson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

gneration So you are concerned about losing a whole generation from the church. We all are. Young adults seem less interested in Christianity than ever before.

We wonder why they aren’t attending our churches. After all, we have carefully created programs for every life-stage: for children and teens, for young parents, for older adults, and for singles – both older singles and… specifically for them – for single young adults! Why aren’t they connecting with that ministry?

Perhaps we need to rethink the way we categorize people.

Skye Jethani, in his book Futureville: Discover Your Purpose for Today by Reimagining Tomorrow, writes,

“This generation’s lack of response to the institutional church’s call has left many pastors flummoxed. They mistakenly believe it is a matter of style… Others blame it on immaturity…

I don’t believe the problem is style or immaturity; it is a church that has lost a theology of vocation.”

We are missing a whole generation due to a lack of a theology of vocation!

Certainly people in like life-stages have a lot to share with each other. But most people don’t necessarily categorize themselves exclusively in that manner. Each person also sees himself or herself as a “teacher,” a “mechanic,” a “salesperson,” a “medical professional,” a “factory line worker,” as well as a “single,” or a “mom” or a “dad,” a “husband” or a “wife.”

Gabe Lyons believes that vocation is the key to reaching the next generation. He writes in The Next Christians that the next generation of Christians see their place in the world differently from their predecessors.

“The next Christians don’t work at jobs; they serve in vocations. They see their occupational placement as part of God’s greater mission… While some may be called to full-time religious work, they accept that many Christians should simply work to restore the needs right under their noses. They’ve grown tired of being regarded as second-class Christians and want to be empowered on mission right where they are. They see the need all around them for Christians to show up and restore in their neighborhoods and workplaces.”

Lyons sees hope for the issue that Jethani states.

“The churches that recognize that this move is under way find themselves in the middle of what could be the greatest transformation in how Christians have consistently engaged culture in a century. It has all the signs of being a manifestation as crucial as the Reformation was.”

So here is the question for church leaders:

Are you willing to shift your ministry toward equipping and empowering people to live fully into their callings from God?

If so, you just might see young people coming back to the church. They are hungry for this. They want to be in a community that will have their backs while they seek to be transformative agents in the world for the common good.

As it is, they understand that church communities are just not interested in this. They see the primary agendas of churches as (1) bringing people into the building so that the preacher can tell them about Jesus, the cross, and salvation, (2) about strengthening their marriages and families, and (3) teaching people how to be better Christians in their personal piety and their participation in church activities… in everything but their vocations.

Image by Jeff Giles. Used with permission. Sourced via Flickr.

Previous Post

August 26, 2016

Moving from "Balance" to "Harmony"

Next Post

September 13, 2016 Can a Cardiologist's Life Matter to God?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category arts and entertainment audio/video bible / theology business church college community culture education faith family government/politics leadership media medicine podcast science & tech social sector tech Uncategorized work and calling

Select a Month November 2025 May 2025 October 2024 September 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 October 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 August 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 July 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 July 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 July 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 November 2016 September 2016 August 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What was the primary musical instrument in the Temple?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Drums Trumpet Harp Lyre