As an almost adult {Yes, I've stopped considering my 19 year old self as an adult} making life decisions about life are starting to come into play. Wilson recently posted a blog on his Facebook page on why youngsters like myself are leaving the church.
As you may or may not know with the closing of my high school chapter and the entering into a new chapter known as college, the very real idea of walking away from it all [Church] became an idea I struggled with. As I read Wilson's blog I realized that was exactly why, among a few more ideals that I wanted to leave church.
So I'd like to take the time to express them.
***Disclaimer*** I by no means am saying one type of church is far better than another nor am I say that church should conform to meet the needs of every member.
1. Wilson's Reason: They Find It Hard To Fit In
As I began to question where I wanted to go, the church that I was at seemed to offer little to no support for my entering this age group. I understand why, many college students will no longer be attending that church on a regular basis. So my options were to either be grouped with my parents {30+ year olds} or grouped with the youth {12-17 year olds}. On top of that our church leaned more to preaching to the older adults rather than the younger ones. Or the older generation expected us to be more or less heathens and were often shocked when we weren't. I'm not saying this model of church was bad but it was based around grouping and generalizing which often led to discontent towards others or the feeling of being an outsider.
2. Wilson's Reason: They Claim It’s Tough To Connect
This is was also true for me at a sense. Before leaving for college my family made a really difficult decision to change to a church plant. My first semester I struggled with bouncing from church to church being in Greenville one week and Rocky Mount the next. I was always lost in the middle of a series. My second semester of college though I've made a commitment to coming home every weekend to be connected to my home church. However, often times churches tend to be so programmatic that either the same people are doing the same stuff or members are doing so much that they have no real time to sit down and get to know each other. With a lack of disconnect you often experience resentment towards others or a lack of true transparency.
3. Wilson's Reason: They Yearn For Organic Community Vs. Organized Community
This goes back to being programatic. In an age of technology that rules our everyday lives, many people I know yern for one-on-one time. We find enjoyment out of going to a coffee shop for coffee and to catch up on the meaning of life or going out to dinner and laughing. Yes, we spend a lot of our time Instagraming, tweeting or facebooking but we yearn for a deeper connection. Many old-school churches make everything into a program. While attending an older church everything I ever did was through a program with set times, schedules and lots of organization. Which in idea was fine. I met people and got to know new people but often times after that program was over we all went our separate ways. A large ideal of the new up and coming churches is the idea of lifegroups. It's taking church to it's original origins: the home. Each week you have the ability to sit and life together with a group of people. It's easier to be transparent and to gain that one-on-one time. We yearn for that realness. Many of the people my age {And I think a lot of the older adults} are tired of the "Perfect, put together Christian" ideal. God called us out none of us are put together or perfect or better or righteous {Romans 3:10-19} yet as a collective body we act this way. My observation though is many my age are tired of this, we want realness. We are broken and we aren't afraid to tell you that or that we need a savior.
4. Wilson's Reason: They Are Turned Off By Corporate Gatherings
I believe this point relates back to being organic and real. The American church has decided to divide God's Church. We do this by denominations, race, and ultimately by bricks and mortar. Inside the church building we have divided up each other by age, gender, relationship status and preference. Church was never suppose to be one building, Church is an idea, a way of life. You don't go to a church, you are the church. For many young people the idea of going to a room filled with religiosity and judgement is scary. We already live in a world where we are judge because we claim to be a Christian or for the views we possess and then we come into a building filled with people who rather display their judgement on us rather than love us. So the idea of judgement plus the idea of church not being a building but a collective group of people has lead to a new coming of age idea where we worship and gather anywhere. God is everywhere and so should we. Quick story, one day my best friend Meredith asked me to join her at a church gathering for college students downtown. I was down for it, I was in a time where I was really seeking God in my heartache. We met at a local resturant, ate dinner and then headed on down the street. Outside the door a girl stood at a table with a clipboard, checking off names. Meredith and I signed up and then headed inside. The room was dark, crowded and some Lecrae was banging in the background. We were at a club church. As the preacher, a man dressed in a snapback, button up and baggy jeans spoke the word I couldn't help but notice the yuengling beer sign that hung over him. Nearly every Wednesday since then I have attended Uprise and felt completely wrecked afterwards. The worship is real and authentic. We shout "Holy Spirit you are welcomed here." and people walk by the bar and wonder what we are doing. Many people would have be appalled at the idea of having church in a bar without giving it a second chance. God is everywhere though, He's in schools, restaurants, strip clubs, and bars, he's in living rooms and bedrooms and jails. His presence is everywhere. I believe the old way of churching is gone dwindle down and you're going to see a new age of gathering in homes and in unusual places.
I once was told by a sweet lady at my current church how she wishes there was more young people like me. I smiled at her and told her that there was. Young people like me understand that rules aren't going to get you into Heaven. Tattooing your body, dying your hair or having church in a bar isn't going to keep you out of Heaven. That ideal isn't welcomed in a judgmental setting, it's the reason why people left the church that our my parent's age and why people are leaving now. Pretending to be high and mighty doesn't win lost people because it's an ideal that is seemingly impossible to meet. Showing that you are broken just like the lost though is something that they can relate to.
I may be wrong, trust me I have been before. A new wave though of Christianity is coming through. Youngsters are realizing that being perfect is far less important than winning souls to Christ. Being real and upfront is overtaking being self-righteous and filled with religiosity. Programs are being replaced by relationships.
Have a Blessed Day,
Amanda Larson
If you want to read Jarrid Wilson's blog, here it is: Why Are Young People Are Leaving The Church?
PLEASE SHARE THE BLOG ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND LEAVE COMMENTS, I'D LOVE TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK :) ALSO IF YOU HAVE ANY REQUEST FOR A BLOG LET ME KNOW
No comments:
Post a Comment