HOW TO PREVENT LOSING
ANOTHER GENERATION
Polls show that the twentysomethings sitting next to you in the
pews may not embrace your faith. What happened to them?
Can we do anything to prevent losing yet another generation?
By Ken Ham - President, CEO & Founder of Answers in
Genesis-US, the highly acclaimed Creation Museum,
and the world-renowned Ark Encounter
S
OMETHING IS WRONG. The stories usually involve a close friend or
family member who once attended church faithfully but left. In many cases,
these once-active churchgoers adopt an openly secular worldview and lifestyle,
rejecting all semblance of Christian belief and values. Most churches, it seems,
are full of Christian parents, Sunday school teachers, and pastors who tell similar
heartrending stories. They just can’t believe what’s happening.
No church is safe. Next time you attend a service, look around you. Who’s
next? One of the chattering young people, the teens huddled in the corner, the
single adults busily pursuing their careers? They may seem happy and engaged,
but is Christ really at the center of their hearts and lives?
You can’t just assume God’s Word rules everything they think and do. If you
could ask a few probing questions—about creation, abortion, marriage, and
the exclusivity of Christ’s salvation—you might be surprised by their answers.
They’re on a dangerous path. Six out of ten may eventually leave church. Many
of the rest—like Matthew Vines who now promotes homosexual “marriage” in
churches—may stay but not believe like you do!
From a human perspective, the Western church appears to be in big trouble.
Any astute observer can see that the church—even the most careful local
church—is becoming more secularized with each passing day. If the
trends continue, where will the church be in the next generation?
The twentysomethings in America (often called more
broadly the Millennials, born 1982 to 2000) appear to
be at a tipping point. If they keep going in the same
spiritual direction, this younger generation—
our future leaders—will fundamentally
change the culture and the church.
You may wonder, “But what can
we do? It seems so overwhelming.”
Many have said to me they just get
depressed and feel like giving up
and waiting for Jesus to come.
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