Interesting USA Today article on youth and why they are staying / leaving the church…no longer entertaining? We can’t out entertain the world…but the Truth about all of reality; now that’s something we can offer!
“Bye-bye church. We’re busy.” That’s the message teens are giving churches today. Only about one in four teens now participate in church youth groups, considered the hallmark of involvement; numbers have been flat since 1999. Other measures of religiosity — prayer, Bible reading and going to church — lag as well, according to Barna Group, a Ventura, Calif., evangelical research company. This all has churches canceling their summer teen camps and youth pastors looking worriedly toward the fall, when school-year youth groups kick in. “Talking to God may be losing out to Facebook,” says Barna president David Kinnaman.” (Read More)
We need to help students connect relationally with other Christians (peers) and an older mentor / adult and we need to teach them to be able to articulate and defend what they believe, why they believe it, and why it matters.
Welcome to College: A Christ-Follower’s Guide for the Journey