Who drops out?
· 80% of teenagers who attend church plan to continue attending after graduating.
· 70% of teenagers who attend church drop out between ages 18-22.
· 71% of those who drop out aren’t planning on it before they graduate.
· 62% of those who plan to stay end up dropping out anyway.
· The numbers are the same for those who go to college and those who do not.
Top Reasons Given for Dropping Out of Church by People Ages 18-22
1. Simply wanted a break from church.
2. Church members seemed judgmental or hypocritical.
3. Moved to college and stopped attending church.
4. Work responsibilities prevented me from attending.
5. Moved too far away from the church to continue attending.
6. Became too busy though still wanted to attend.
7. Didn’t feel connected to the people in my church.
8. Disagreed with the church’s stance on political or social issues.
9. Chose to spend more time with friends outside the church.
10. Was only going to church to please others.
11. Wanted to make life decisions not accepted by the church.
12. Disagreed with the church’s teachings about God.
13. Was unsure of the reasons behind my faith.
14. Family and/or home responsibilities prevented me from attending.
15. Lost touch with my churchgoing friends.
16. Other activities/scheduling conflicts prevented me from attending church.
17. No longer wanted to identify myself as a Christian.
18. Stopped believing in God.
How plugged in were these people after they graduated?
· Of those who attend only the worship service, 16% are still in church after 5 years.
· Of those who attend worship and a small group, 83% are still in church after 5 years.
Conclusions: Most youth group graduates in America simply don’t value church enough to stick with it. Of these, most are probably unsaved (1 John 2:19). Some reject Christ altogether, while many others have a false assurance of salvation based on previous religious experience. A small number are saved but do not understand the biblical importance of church. The best tools to combat this trend are the gospel of Jesus Christ and biblical teaching on God’s love for the church.
*From Essential Church? Reclaiming a Generation of Dropouts by Thom and Sam Rainer
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