Let me first begin this post by laying out some interesting statistics about young people going to college these days.
- 75% of Christian youth leave the church after high school.
- Intellectual skepticism is one of the major reasons they walk away.
- Most Christian students are unequipped to resist rabidly anti-Christian college professors who are intent on converting their students to atheism.
- College professors are five times more likely to identify themselves as atheists than the general public.
- More than half of all college professors view evangelical Christian students unfavorably.
- The “new atheists”—Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens—are writing books and are growing in popularity.
- Anna, a pastor’s daughter, became an agnostic at UNC Chapel Hill.
- Steve, son of a famous Christian, renounced biblical morality at Elon.
- John, a high school worker for Campus Crusade, became an atheist after reading a Richard Dawkins’ book on atheism.
*statistics provided by www.crossexamined.org
These observations are quite informative and interesting to read. It is true that many college campuses are just a bastion of atheism and contain people who challenge the beliefs of Christians. Why are kids leaving the church so rapidly after they face these various intellectual arguments against Christianity? I think Frank Turek, of http://www.crossexamined.org/, has provided these fascinating statistics, but also a great observation about the church.
"Some think church is irrelevant. Others, out on their own for the first time, are attracted by all the world has to offer and put God on the back burner. Yet many leave because they’ve come to doubt Christianity. In fact, intellectual skepticism is a major reason cited by those who have left.
We can lay the blame for much of this on ourselves—that is, on the church. While there are notable exceptions, most American churches over-emphasize emotion and ignore the biblical commands to develop the mind (1 Pet 3:15, 2 Cor. 10:5). In other words, we’re doing a great job performing for our youth with skits, bands and videos, but a terrible job informing them with logic, truth, and a Christian worldview. We’ve failed to recognize that what we win them with we win them to. If we win them with emotion, we win them to emotion.
Now, I don’t want to discount the importance of emotion. If the Bible is true (as we show in the seminar), then God does want us to love Him with all of our hearts. But He also wants us to love Him with our minds (Mt. 22:37). Christians don't get Brownie points for being stupid! We're supposed to know what we believe and why we believe it. And for good reason-- emotion alone is not enough to protect Christian students at college or make them bold witnesses for those they meet. If they arrive at college with nothing more then good sentimental feelings about Christ, they are easy prey for anti-Christian professors and a campus environment intent on undermining their faith. "
I think Frank has nailed it squarely on the head here. The idea that so many churches are producing young people who have no idea what they believe or why they believe it is due to the lack of discipleship. Too many youth ministries cater to the young people and worry more about numbers and entertainment. As long as we can keep them in the church, then that is the main goal. The church, as a whole, has developed a Christianity that is merely based on emotion and a more pragmatic approach of "what works in my life". As long as it helps us get through the tough times and make me feel like God is in love with me, then this Christianity thing is pretty good! John Stott, in a recent book he wrote entitled, Your Mind Matters, makes a key observation when he writes, "Young people tend to be activists, dedicated supporters of a cause, though without always inquiring too closely either whether their cause is a good end to pursue or whether their action is the best means by which to pursue it." (pg. 14). If anyone knows young people or does any type of observing of them, you know this statement is true. They jump on the "environmental bandwagon" and "Can't we all get along" movements without really considering why they believe it or support it.
In the evangelical circles, I believe that this goes back to making "man" the center of the church and the teaching of the Bible. We have lost the idea that we are here to serve the Lord with all of our heart, mind, and soul. He is the one who deserves the glory, honor, and praise. We should be bending, molding, and submitting our wills, thoughts, and actions to God. However, today we think that if we cater to society and change everything that that is really true Christianity. We make God and His Word submit to us, through our desires, thoughts, and the way the world thinks. God doesn't need us. He doesn't need anything at all, but He wants to have a relationship with us because He loves. The belief that God's message should be changed to fit the postmodern mindset is not only blasphemy, but out right "man-centered" evangelism. I think that an omnipotent God can produce a message and gospel powerful enough to change lives and bring reconciliation between Himself and manthroughout time. We do not need to change or manipulate the message to reach a new generation as many in the emerging church are suggesting, such as Brian McLaren, Tony Jones, Tony Campolo, and Rob Bell.
Young people are leaving the church because we have offered them something that makes them feel good and just fits into their current thinking. It hasn't changed their life or impacted them because they haven't heard the true gospel. Yesterday I was reading in an issue of Christianity Today a reader wrote in and said that we don't need intellectual responses to skeptics and unbelievers, but rather just tell them about our own personal experience and the wonderful feelings we have about God. Welcome to Mormonism! That is the old mormon view of how they know the Book of Mormon is true. They have felt the "burning in the bosom". Is that really how we know we serve and worship the one, true, and only God? Based on how I feel inside? Yes, great emotions accompany saving faith in Christ, but they are not the foundation upon which our faith stands. It is in knowing the Scriptures first and then knowing what and why we believe based upon the evidence. Our testimony is a powerful witness to unbelievers so they can see what God has done in our lives and how He has changed it. However, everyone who believes in anything has a "testimony". Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Muslims, and even Atheists. Our testimony must be an essential part of our witness in order to relate to people and show them the power of the one true, living God. However, we must be prepared in and out of season to provide other answers to questions that they may have. Apologetics will never save anyone, but it does lead a horse to water. It can remove certain barriers for unbelievers before they can humble themselves to the Lord. Should apologetics be used in every instance of evangelism or witnessing? Not necessarily. Our primary source should be the Bible and the message of salvation by grace through faith. However, apologetics is just another weapon in our arsenal when people have true and deep questions about things. We need to be prepared to give an answer as Peter instructs us (1 Peter 3:15). Also, it builds our faith in knowing that we have a firm ground to stand on in our faith and allows young people to know it as well, especially when they face attacks on our campuses.
Churches need to finish the discipleship process or maybe just begin it. It starts with teaching the basic beliefs of Christianity as found in the Bible. Our first source should be a well-grounded disciple in the Bible. Teaching them the truths found in God's word, but then as they mature in Christ, we should explain to them the evidences found through logic, philosphy, science, and theology. Otherwise, we will continue to produce feel-good young people who fall under the pressure of any kind of objection to their faith. Josh McDowell could very well be right. We may be witnessing the appearance of the "Last Christian Generation".
