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94% of Youth Leave the Church

By Tom Willis

Creation Science Association for Mid America

There are various estimates , all say that 80% to 94% of youth leave about the time they leave home, go to college, etc.. “Why?” And, “What are we doing or going to do about it?”

They Were Never “In the Church”

Attending Church does not mean you are “in the Church.” Most youths attend because their parents do. Therefore, many leave for the simple reason that they were never “in, or of the Church.”

They Were Never Taught “Christianity Is True”

“We had access to them for 18 years, why do we lose 90% of those with whom we have had so much time?” I have been convinced for many years that the answer is somewhat simple and narrow. Youth learn, but could care less, what Paul really means in Romans 566:99, and they play lots of games. But they never became convinced that Paul or Jesus ever lived, i.e., they never became believers. That is, the Church did little or nothing to convince them anyone “The Bible is True!” But, when they step outside the Church, plenty of folks will tell them “The Bible and Christianity are False, or mythology,” most offering persuasive proof of their claims. This is especially true of youth, most of whom leave the home church to attend college where 90% of their “professors” will confidently prove to them that Christianity is mythology! About 90% of youth have never learned another side to these claims. Equally bad, the parents have essentially “certified” the abilities of these professors by paying for the University “education!” This is hardly a trivial problem!

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“If we perform poorly with people with whom we have spent so much time, what will we achieve with people with whom we spend little time?” My answer may surprise you. While I know of no surveys of adult conversions, my own observations are that the average “stick rate” of adult converts is much higher than the youth stick rate. But, “adult sticking” probably has little or nothing to do with what the Church did, or does. Adults are more likely to be wary of making such a heavy commitment, and the Church spends very little time in apologetics. Thus, in my case, and others I have interviewed, it was not “the Church,” but the para church that brought them to Christ! Apologetic ministries and books convinced me that Christianity was true!

Then, I could hear the Lord. I learned that the Christian amenities offered in the Bible were not only attainable, but virtually assured. By and large, the Church has done little, or nothing, to strengthen my conviction. Further, most Christians receive little from “explanation of the Bible” sermons, simply because they are not interested in the subject at the time the preacher is, they read the bible for themselves, and often do not agree with or care much about his interpretation. It would not be at all unreasonable to suggest that many remain Christian because they believe Jesus, rather than because of the Church!

Why Do They Leave the Church?

Often, because they were not saved. Jesus used “miracle apologetics” to convince his listeners that He was from God. Our youth have never even been told that the Bible was true!

What Draws Them Out of the Church?

Obviously those who who are not saved do not need (much) to be drawn out. But, I would say that, two key factors are used to draw them out, though, in a survey, they may not mention them:

1.Errors & Contradictions in the Bible

These items have been dealt with by many authors, so I will not discuss them here except to say that, “While some treatments of 'errors and contradictions' are better than others, these lists have been well dealt with and should not trouble anybody who really wants to know Truth.” However, the Church offers little support.

2.Evolution & Age of the Cosmos and Earth

Evolution and Old Earth/Cosmos claims are actually pseudo science, totally false claims, but few people can deal with them, except, perhaps, to their own satisfaction. I will not deal with all of them here. At CSA , we have been treating them in detail in many publications, books, videos and presentations for 26 years. But, I will devote space to a couple thoughts. It is interesting that many Church “leaders” use poor Bible interpretations to dispense with these, and other, claims. After a seminar, a pastor once told me he had dealt with a seeker's question about the age of the earth, by mentioning 2^nd Peter 3:8 “... one day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day,” i.e., he told him that the Bible might mean millions of years. The pastor claimed that “He got saved and was active in the church, did I do wrong?” (I had used this passage as an example of false interpretations in apologetics) I am going to use this “successful,” but false answer as an illustration of the simple fact that lies are never as useful as they may appear.

I asked the pastor, “Where is he now?” He replied something like, “Oh my gosh, you are right, I don't know.” “Well, I said, neither do we know that I am right,” but, my first point to the pastor was that, “He may not have gotten saved,” or, depending on your theology, “He may not now be saved.” But, I was just getting started.

Some will refute old earth claims with, “The Hebrew, 'day' (yom) can mean a period of time, thus the Bible can mean an old earth.” This frequent, but ludicrous claim can easily be refuted: “Here is an English sentence with both meanings of the word 'day' in it, 'In King George's day the ladies wore long skirts, and on the forth day of his reign, he beheaded his 44^th wife.' Both meanings are even in the same sentence.” My point is simply, “Proving there are two meanings for a word is not a proof that, when used in a sentence, especially one written by a competent author (in the Bible's case, God), that it may have either meaning.” As in the King George sentence, the meaning of each use of “day” is clear by the context!!! The same is equally true of Genesis I, Exodus 20:8-11, and the pastor's quote from 2 Peter 3:8. In Genesis, He insures that the meaning is clear by framing each use of 'day' with 'evening and morning.' In Exodus 20, the work week is absolutely clear, no man can work 6 thousand, million, or billion years. And, Peter makes absolutely clear he is referring to the Lord's patience, not to the length of a day.

To bring this home with finality, I reminded him that Peter did not say, and assuredly did not believe, that “When the Lord writes the word 'day' we are not sure what he means, he might mean a day or a thousand years.” Consider the absurdity of the notion that the “meaning of 'day' is unclear.” Most words have multiple meanings. If the meaning of “day” is unclear, then we cannot be sure of any meaning of any word, in any sentence, in any book, in any language!!

Even if the young man did get saved, we do not know what he may have become if, rather than giving an evasive dodge of the question, the pastor had defended the Bible as true. He may have, rather than just being “active in the church,” become one of the greatest preachers in history, or one of the greatest soul winners, or apologists. I reminded the pastor of the high school logical fallacy: “Post hoc, ergo propter hoc,” “After this, therefore because of this.” My point is,” I gently, but emphatically told the pastor, “We do not know that you even helped the man!!! For all you know, he didn't even believe your answer. And/or the Lord may have been on his case and he was going to get saved regardless of what you said; or any other of many possible scenarios. Therefore, we cannot know that a 'little white lie' helped him.” The man's apparent salvation after the “little lie” does not even support the notion that he even heard, much less believed, the lie. “My overall answer is, 'Truth is always better than a lie... period!' Apologetic compromise often does more harm than good! The compromiser typically never knows the true result (as was the case in the pastor's story).”

Furthermore, any serious reader will see that these “apologetic compromises” are not valid exegesis, therefore must be false. Once the youth learns he has been lied to, he may quickly conclude they are all false! This leaves him even more susceptible to the claims of Bible enemies, because “even the Bible's defenders are liars.” Remember, Bible opponents claim, even demonstrate, that they are using good science. Yes, it is true that, if a student learns that Bible opponents use bad science, which they typically do, it can be very helpful, but it is as likely to leave him in the “post modern mindset” that everything, or nothing, is true!

In most Churches students are receiving no answers, or sleazy answers! Both tend to lead to the youth's fall! It would be difficult to prove my theory, simply because many youth have not thought through it in detail, so a survey may not produce accurate results. Perhaps there is a better explanation, but, the data clearly agrees with me. The logic is consistent with observation, and neither offers any comfort to the Church for it's approach.

How Should the Church Respond?

I believe the Biblical model is clear. Jesus had an intensely apologetic ministry, He certified his authority with countless miracles! Pastors capable of performing miracles should have few problems. Those without this gift should consider logical, historical and scientific apologetics to validate, not their ministry, but the Bible. Because of evolution and “old cosmos,” the battleground today is in “Scientific Apologetics.” Most pastors have only been trained adequately in theology. Some have taken logic classes, and could “bone up” to deal with Biblical Apologetics. But the vast majority fail in their scientific apologetics for three reasons: 1) little or no aptitude in science, 2) no training in science, and 3) too busy in other areas of ministry. The Result: 94% of youth leave, and will continue to leave, because they have been taught only what the Bible says, not that the Bible is True! Solution: Until there is a tremendous change in type and training of people in the ministry, the church should avail itself of apologetic ministries, or build their own. No youth should reach the age of 18 (nor adult attend church), without receiving several serious, lengthy and intense classes in apologetics, especially “Scientific Apologetics,” since that is where the enemy is now attacking.

We need to agree that one is not a Christian as a result of knowledge, logic or proof. Christianity is a choice one makes in the heart. But, it is at least as silly to believe that people can, will, or even ought to make a heart decision to follow a person or creed that he does not have a solid conviction is honest and true. In fact this is virtually a keystone to understanding why youth leave the Church. They have never seen Christianity defended as a truth proposition, much less have they seen it defended well, or learned it well. I am convinced this is the key reason they so easily leave. They have no personal conviction that Christianity is true! Why endure the taunts of “friends,” some of whom claim to be able to defend their position scientifically.

A few years ago, Focus on the Family released “The Truth Project,” a well done start, but far from comprehensive.

In a more recent survey, some of the relevant findings are:

• As youth become more distant from their parents, due to age, college, friends, etc., they find themselves among people who hate Christianity. They even encounter a few who can “prove” Christianity is mythology. Now, I would not be a Christian if I believed people could truly prove Christianity = mythology, but my study of evolutionary myths has convinced me that they tell their “proofs” with far more conviction, and they are far more committed to knowing, telling and defending their myths than are Christians to even knowing their history, much less defending it.

• Those who faithfully attended Sunday school are more likely to leave the church than those who did not.

• Those who regularly attended Sunday school are more likely to believe that the Bible is less true.

• Over half of those who faithfully attended church feel that church is not relevant to real life today.

This supports my theory that the major Church error is not defending the Bible as True, never focusing their teaching (Unlike CSA and other apologetic ministries) on apologetics, ,, Young Earth Creation. How does it support that? Particularly in the more conservative churches, in the Sanctuary, they tend to treat Christianity more seriously than they do in children's church and youth group, where the mission is much more oriented to entertainment or Bible Study. But “the Bible is true” is not defended at all in these same churches, including especially, but not restricted to, Young Earth Creationism. The Bible is “taught” but it is virtually never taught as, much less defended as, “Truth!”

This Church practice exposes youth to the World's favorite attack, proving evolution and old earth are facts of science! Worse than not teaching Young Earth Creationism is teaching the sordid old earth versions of Genesis. Any child can easily see old earth and evolution are not what the Bible teaches, so ignoring or disagreeing with the bible on these topics plays right into the hands of the enemy.

Ken Ham, Answers in Genesis, recently said:

T.A. McMahon, executive director of The Berean Call, believes the failure to keep evangelical youth interested in and excited about the Bible is a consequence of abandoning teaching them in favor of trying to entertain them.

“I think it’s the result for the most part of the consumer, seeker-friendly approach to church growth, which I believe has really done more to wean the church off the Bible than any trend in this century and the last one,” he contends. He agrees with the survey conclusion that “on the whole, the Sunday school programs of today are statistical failures.”

"What you see in the Bible is that when there is compromise in one generation, and it is not dealt with, you usually notice it to a greater extent in the next generation," Ham told World Net Daily. “In previous generations, young people could live with this inconsistency,” he said, “but with an increasingly secular and atheistic public education system – where some 90 percent of church-going youth are trained – today's youth find it hard to see a connection between what they are taught in church and what they learn at school.”

"Because of the way in which they've been educated," Ham said, teens come to believe "that what they are taught in school is reality, but the church teaches stories and morality and relationship. Bible teaching is not real in the sense of real history." [My position is that most students conclude that the school position, which is taught as science (= knowledge) is true. The Church must be teaching myth. Thus school reinforces the human penchant for sin, and convinces youth that this teaching is “science.” Since the Church seldom or never defends Christianity or Christian History as Truth, youth accept the schools claims that they teach science and history. Church is Bible Stories. Worldly gain and sex are associated with school, it is hardly surprising that many youth choose school.

I cannot overemphasize that, what and how, they are taught in Church clearly helps, rather than hinders what they are taught in school and by their friends. James Davis, New Leaf Press, recently said:

• The study found that we are losing our kids in elementary, middle school, and high school rather than college, and the "Sunday school syndrome" is contributing to the epidemic, rather than helping alleviate it.

• The study report summarized the views of 1,000 twenty-somethings, solidly raised in the church but no longer attending, and their reasons why.

• The results may unnerve you but these results need to be taken seriously by the church.

• "Already Gone" [Ken Ham's recent book] reveals why America's churches have lost an entire generation of believers. [I learned of Ham's book, the study, and Davis' thoughts when I was half finished with this article. As daddy used to say, “Great minds think along the same lines.” :-) ]

• This is an alarming wake-up call for the church, showing how our programs and our approaches to Christian education are failing...and our children are paying the price. Though the statistics reveal a huge disconnect taking place between our children and their church experience "Already Gone" shows how to fight back for our families, our churches, and our world. We can make a difference today that will affect the statistics of tomorrow in a positive and Christ-focused way!

• Now, as parents and leaders tell youth they can "...believe in evolution and millions of years," Ham said, “young people are starting to see, 'Well, I can then believe what I'm taught at school' – but school has nothing to do with God."

• Davis wraps up: “Relevant statistical data effectively teamed with powerful apologetics...”can make a huge difference.

The key issue is that this doubt about the Bible's account of origins causes youth to doubt the authority of Scripture, Ham said. Ham agrees with my position above, that "Salvation is not conditioned on what you believe about the age of the Earth and the six days of creation." But the Genesis issue does matter, he contends, "because salvation does rise or fall on the authority of Scripture. The message of the Gospel comes from these words of Scripture."

When the truthfulness of Scripture is “refuted” regarding things, perhaps unrelated to salvation, youth (quite reasonably) think,“Why should I believe the rest of Scripture.” The Church needs thorough, in-depth, apologetics for all age groups, just as Jesus and the Apostles needed miraculous apologetics. It is my position that these ideas are much easier for folks like me to preach than they are to implement in the Church. Here are some of the reasons:

1.Most Church Leaders have little or no training in science or logic. Therefore, it is a monumental effort for them to prepare a convincing apologetics class related either to evolution or even Josh McDowell style apologetics. I did not say impossible, just monumental. Some, who are committed, can do it. But, most are not interested. Many are not even true believers.

2.Shallow apologetic efforts may do more harm than good. Youth are already at a stage where they are inclined to reject input from their elders. Reinforcing their position with obviously shallow apologetics will cause more harm than good.

3.Leaders have effectively been taught in their formal Christian training, largely by people likely to be even less qualified than they, that they are being taught the essentials that they need.

4.Having received and scored well in this “formal Christian education,” like their teachers, many exhibit scornful pride and disdain regarding any notion that anything other than what they are doing (essentially Bible exegesis and entertainment) is ever needed.

5.This pride is often exacerbated as they realize that they need help doing what they need to be doing. I am convinced that pride plays at least as big a roll as ignorance of the need.

The Church has these youth from 5 to 8 years from age 10. Much of the time spent in youth groups is wasted. For those who are at all interested in Truth, a really good apologetics curriculum would be very helpful. Many youth, of course, would not benefit. But, did Jesus aim his most in-depth teaching at the 5,000, 120 or 12?

The Christian leader who serves those who are interested in being saved cannot be soundly accused of letting the rest down. A grave error that permeates the Church is that “Only youth need apologetics (because the adults are solid?).” My observation is that, any human being can give an informed commentary on any book of fiction. It happens many times daily in college literature and science classes. Therefore, giving a commentary about the Bible and calling it “a sermon,” is not even close to being evidence that you are a Christian who actually believes the Bible, or even believes Jesus ever lived. Discussing words written about Jesus can be honestly done by an atheist.

The results of the Church's failure to present and defend Christianity as Truth are written large. The “Youth Problem” is, I strongly submit, a direct result of the Church's unwillingness and inability to defend the Truth of Christianity, especially compared to what the World offers. Building a truth fortress requires more knowledge and effort than leading hand clapping and preparing a 30 minute commentary on a couple of Bible paragraphs. Conversely, a well implemented, life-long Christian apologetic agenda tends to produce solid converts, as did the Miracles of Jesus, simply because it helps many know that Christianity is True! The Church may not completely eliminate these problems, but it typically does not even acknowledge they exist, much less have a committed plan to address them. CSA has been addressing the problem for 26 years. We intend to continue regardless of how much of “the Church”agrees with or adopts our approach. I doubt that many will. The Great Harlot needs members who can clap

We've now made the following key points:

1.Youth leave the Church for several reasons, some key:

– They were never truly “in the Church.”

• They were taught “what Christianity means,” but never taught “Christianity is True.”

2.These practices were outlined in more detail as follows:

– Youth and their parents are never taught to deal with “Errors and Contradictions” in the Bible.

– They were never taught to deal with the “modern refutation” of the Bible, “Millions of Years and Evolution.”

• Often what they were taught, poor interpretations, which lead to manifest Bible compromises, such as “Old Earth” and “Evolution is Christian,” actually helps drive them from the Church, because any fool who bothers to read the Bible can easily see that it does not support these ideas. Thus, such teaching actually convinces them that “Christians” and “Christian Leaders” don't even believe the Bible.

3.Thus, because youth have never seen/heard Christianity defended as Truth, they have no personal convictions that Christianity is true, and really should not be expected to have any such convictions. In fact, a strong case could be made that any youth who do have strong convictions that Christianity is true, are probably not qualified to hold such convictions.

4.A key fact to remember is that all early Apostles and Disciples had witnessed miracles done in the name of, or by Christ! Therefore. They had very strong apologetic evidence. Their counterparts today are given none by their elders, and in a very high percentage of the cases, the elders are totally incapable of giving them any (not necessarily because of incompetence, but because they have never been told or convinced it was important, therefore, have never studied either broad category of apologetics: historical or scientific.

5.Other startling facts discussed were:

– Distance from parents leads to encounters with people who hate Jesus, and are often more capable at defending their position.

– Those who faithfully attended Sunday School are more likely to leave the Church than those who did not.

• Over half of faithful Sunday School attenders feel the Church is irrelevant.

Many other key facts and ideas are in the article, including the somewhat silly notion that only youth need apologetics. In the Bible, it was not youth who were challenged over the truth of Christianity. Youth see many adults that the youth know are shallow believers and cannot, or will not defend Christianity. If the Church does not change, ministries like CSA will help, but the loss will be great!