Why Most Students Quit the Church...
Posted by tom | Aug 16, 2010A faculty friend recently shared with me this story about a student from class
He quit his high school youth group when they called him an atheist for asking questions. Most students quit the church sometime during high school. Maybe they had good feelings about their youth group and perhaps say they "love the Lord", but their minds are left empty. Some turn to philosophy classes in college, hoping to find a way to the truth that their youth group never provided.
When Francis Schaeffer was teaching at L'Abri, many students came there who were disillusioned with what the empty or absent teachings in their churches, and their shallow christian colleges. There has to be a place where students can ask any questions without confronting a judgmental spirit, find those willing to listen, and work through these questions (assuming they're mostly honest).
What do you think about my friend's comments?
Join me in prayer for
- the student mentioned above and the many others who journey through high school, college, and young adulthood.
- followers of Christ in education (teachers, students, administrators, etc), the home (i.e., parents), community, youth groups, campuses ministries, and local congregations as we enter a new academic year. Pray for us to truly lean upon, embody, point to, and proclaim the Way, Truth, Life.
Sadly, this reminds me of my youth group experience. Lots of emphasis on feeling good for being part of the group, not much interest in intellectual matters. I found it much easier to be a Christian around groups of non-Christian peers in academically oriented settings then to be academically-oriented around my Christian peers in youth group. I was even ostracized in youth group for attending a Christian high school.
Fortunately for me, I received the reinforcement I needed from other sources - home, school, and later on, IVCF and different churches.
Posted by Andy Walsh, Aug 23 2010, 20:13