Study: Why Young People Leave the Church

11/11/2011
Mission Network News

A recent study conducted by the Barna Group provides explanations as to why young American Christians are leaving the church. Reasons include a general idea that the church is overprotective, and that Christianity is too exclusive.

The Barna Group conducts studies on spirituality—especially Christianity in the United States today. This particular study was comprised of eight national studies, including interviews with teenagers, young adults, parents, youth pastors and senior pastors.

There is not one overwhelming reason that young Christians leave the church determined, the Barna Group reports. Six significant themes were uncovered as to why three out of every five young Christians leave the church temporarily or permanently.

Young people were reported to leave the church for the following reasons: (1) The church is overprotective. (2) Teens' and 20-somethings' experience of Christianity is shallow. (3) Churches come across as antagonistic to science. (4) Young Christians' church experiences related to sexuality are often simplistic, judgmental. (5) They wrestle with the exclusive nature of Christianity. (6) The church feels unfriendly to those who doubt. Click here to read research findings with fuller explanations of these concerns.    the rest