Young Adults

As promised, wash's world blog will come at you EVERY Monday.  I will continue to blog about my health as it relates to Lyme Disease but will also blog about current events, the church, and life in general.

Most of you know that a have great passion for youth and young adults.  I came across an article by a ministry magazine that talked about why young adults leave the church.  This is the age group of around 19-35, and it was addressing how many people who have grown up in church, begin quitting church during this time frame in their lives.  I think many of us who are in church assume that the devil has fully gotten hold of people, they don't want to take responsibility, or a shaking within the church is happening and people are leaving.

I would suggest, that there are issues much deeper than what we may see...that are NOT being addressed.  So, take it or leave it...I'm giving you the reasons, from this ministry magazine as to why young adults quit church...Its definitely something to think about.


1. Young Adults have been hurt.  They have been hurt by families as well as the church.  Many young adults who have been hurt by the church, because of decisions they have made in their adolescence, have scarred them tremendously.  Their thinking is...if these are the people who hurt me, I don't want any parts of church...

2. Adult Life or College Life doesn't mix with church.  As young adults get older, they love to try new things.  The new things that they want to try do not mix with church.  So instead of going back and forth between the new things and church, they just settle into doing, the new things.

3. There is no natural bridge to church.  When young adults leave home and either go off to college or change scenery, there is often nothing where they land at, that helps them navigate through life's waters.

4. Young Adults are distracted.  Oftentimes, its not that young adults don't care, its just that they are dealing with SOOO many things and going to church is the last thing on their mind.

5. Young Adults are skeptical.  Young adults as well as generation x do not have loyalties to institutions.  This is extremely crucial in our understanding of what is going on in their minds.  Because they don't have loyalties to institutions they rarely accept things that represent institutional living, which oftentimes the church is guilty of.
6. Young Adults are exhausted.  More young adults are going to college than previous generations.  They are busy paying back student loans and credit cards.  They are working full-time jobs, trying to maintain marriages as well as parenting...they are tired.
7. Young Adults don't get it.  Young adults are the MOST unchurched generation in a long time. In many cases they are not guilty of quitting church...they never started in church.  Many young adults are discouraged because they churches in their neighborhoods or the ones that they have grown up in are NOT addressing their needs and position in life, so they don't understand or don't get why they should waste their time going...it doesn't help them.


Food for thoughts...