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I have seen it myself at my church for over 20 years, as these youth sang in the childrens choir, was in Sunday school, every church play, accepted Jesus as a teen and by time they are over 18 and go off to college 2/3 never come back and when they do, they are a completely different person spiritually.
I know the adults lead by example, so if grown ups are late to church all the time, why should a child then young adult want to come on time either. If many of the adults dont read their bibles, there is no way they can answer a young adults question other than say go ask the pastor.
Can anything be done to reverse this trend or this is just the future or Christian youth?
Christianity is not based on activity in the choir, or participation in the youth group. It's about knowing Jesus. 1 John 2:19 says that people leave because they were never OF US...meaning that they did not know Christ. They simply got bored of the religious activity and left.
We can't force the kids to love Jesus. They will, or they won't. We can certainly instruct them and teach them about Jesus, but ultimately, it's up to them.
Christianity is not based on activity in the choir, or participation in the youth group. It's about knowing Jesus. 1 John 2:19 says that people leave because they were never OF US...meaning that they did not know Christ. They simply got bored of the religious activity and left.
We can't force the kids to love Jesus. They will, or they won't. We can certainly instruct them and teach them about Jesus, but ultimately, it's up to them.
But alot of those are part of worship in which they are supposedly learning more about him too, so if you start at a young age teaching them about Jesus and they still leave the church and walk away from God all together sometimes, what more can you do.
But alot of those are part of worship in which they are supposedly learning more about him too, so if you start at a young age teaching them about Jesus and they still leave the church and walk away from God all together sometimes, what more can you do.
I will agree. I think our churches today are more about being childcare and entertainment for the kids, while providing an entertaining experience to our kids--in MOST of our churches, anyway. Then, we are surprised when a kid goes off to college and when they are confronted by one of the flimsy arguments that frequently get posted here by a certain group of atheists, their lack of faith is exposed.
Thankfully, I am seeing the opposite in my church. Our youth are taught the Bible and challenged to do the work of God. The results are adults who are committed to Christ.
Christianity is not based on activity in the choir, or participation in the youth group. It's about knowing Jesus. 1 John 2:19 says that people leave because they were never OF US...meaning that they did not know Christ. They simply got bored of the religious activity and left.
We can't force the kids to love Jesus. They will, or they won't. We can certainly instruct them and teach them about Jesus, but ultimately, it's up to them.
Many also leave as told in Luke 9:5
If people (the church) do not welcome you, leave their town (church) and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them."
I have seen it myself at my church for over 20 years, as these youth sang in the childrens choir, was in Sunday school, every church play, accepted Jesus as a teen and by time they are over 18 and go off to college 2/3 never come back and when they do, they are a completely different person spiritually.
I know the adults lead by example, so if grown ups are late to church all the time, why should a child then young adult want to come on time either. If many of the adults dont read their bibles, there is no way they can answer a young adults question other than say go ask the pastor.
Can anything be done to reverse this trend or this is just the future or Christian youth?
The Bible foretells that people will look more toward lawlessness as these last days conclude. Jesus said, "because of the increasing of lawlessness the love of the greater number will cool off." Most people leave the religion they were brought up in because they doesn't see the value in following it rules. They prefer to make their own rules claiming they know what is better.
Being one of those people that did leave for that very reason, I kind of have the inside scoop. However, as being a person that lived by own rules thinking they were better...I can honestly say, I was so wrong. God's rules are in fact superior to my own. Even living by half of them will make a person's life better. The more of God's principles a person keeps, the better their life becomes. I can promise this only because God promises it.
“I, Jehovah, am your God, the One teaching you to benefit yourself, the One causing you to tread in the way in which you should walk. O if only you would actually pay attention to my commandments! Then your peace would become just like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.”—Isaiah 48:17, 18
If people (the church) do not welcome you, leave their town (church) and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them."
um....what? What do you believe Luke 9 has to do with this discussion? Why would you think that a command that Jesus gave to his disciples regarding their specific mission at that specific time had anything to do with Christians living in the church age?
When children are forced into religion by their parents, it shouldn't be surprising that they leave religion as soon as they leave home.
But isn't a lot of that really caused by rebellion by people living on their own for the first time? For instance, couldn't the same be said about children feeling "forced" to eat their broccoli, so when they go off to school, they eat junk food all the time because they can. And for a while it's fun and tastes good. But when they find they've gained 50 pounds and feel cruddy, they realize that eating broccoli may not be such a bad idea after all. Couldn't the same apply to the church and the spiritual foundation it provides (the key being that the church needs to provide a "nutritious" spiritual foundation)?
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