Where have all the 20-somethings gone?

[Captain_Tea]

I am a 20-something that doesn't regularly attend church, but I don't think that my reasons for nonattendance are the same as most of the people my age. Nevertheless, here they are.

I don't go to church because I can't find one to meet my intellectual needs. Every church I have been to focuses too much on how to live a Christian life and not at all on why we believe what we do.

I want to be able to walk into a church and hear the preacher reconcile the concepts of free will and divine omniscience, not tell me that I should believe in God because it feels good or because He's going to give me more money and a better job.

Philosophy and religion are supposed to be the medicine of the soul, the cure for sleepless nights and existential panic. Religion is supposed to offer a purpose for our lives. But I feel like the church today just promises us more "blessings," i.e. tangible things.

Secondly, most churches offer a model of a "personal relationship" with God that I find unsatisfying at best and untenable at worst.

There are more and more churches that are only offering spiritual milk and there isn't much spritual meat as Paul would say. Many churches and pastors just keep feeding people the same fuzzy fluffy feel good message that can only take people so far, leaving them starving for some substance.

I am fortunate in the fact that the church I attend (not nearly as often as I should), has a pastor that used to be a theology professor and he gets into some fairly deep teachings.

Church isn't just about what can this or that church feed me though, it is also about coming together with God's people to lift his name up in worship.

I would recommend the teaching of Pastor James MacDonald out of Harvest Bible Chapel. You can listen to his radio ministry "Walk in the Word" on the internet at www.walkintheword.com. His sermons have helped me grow tremendously and I would recommend them to everyone. He isn't afraid to tackle the tough parts of the bible and teaches the truth in love in a way that satisfies my need for intelectual stimulation.

 

[Glitch]

Have you guys ever heard of the book "un-Christian"

It is prety much a book that is all about the lack of guys, 18 - 30 in the church.

It is fascinating stuff.



If you want to hear more about the book "un-Christian", look up the podcast. There is a podcast which i listen to that discusses it.
If you have iTunes, search for a
pod cast called as follows: Fermi Project