five young Chrisitians dis-
connect from church life
after age 15, says a Barna
Group study on the chal-
lenges of faith develop-
ment among teens and
young adults within a rap-
idly shifting culture. Here
are six reasons cited.
have unprecedented access
to ideas and worldviews
and want their faith in
Christ to connect to the
world they live in. Much of
their experience of Christi-
anity feels stifling, fear�
based and risk�averse.
One�quarter of 18 to
29�year�olds said "Chris-
tians demonize everything
outside of the church."
Other perceptions include
the "church ignoring the
problems of the real world"
(22%).
by the tension between
Christianity and science.
"Christians are too confi-
dent they know all the an-
swers" (35%). Three out of
ten feel that "churches are
out of step with the scien-
tific world we live in."
Immersed in a culture that
over wholeness, young
Christians struggle with
how to live up to expecta-
tions of chastity and sex-
ual purity, especially as
the age of first marriage is
now commonly delayed to
the late twenties. One-
sixth said they "have
made mistakes and feel
judged in church because
of them."
tion in American history
in terms of race, ethnicity,
sexuality, religion, technol-
ogy and sources of au-
thority want to find areas
of common ground, even
if that means glossing
over real differences.
Three out of ten said
"churches are afraid of
the beliefs of other faiths"
and an identical propor-
tion felt they are "forced
to choose between my
faith and my friends."
church is not a place that
allows them to express
doubts. They do not feel
safe admitting that some-
times Christianity does
not make sense. Percep-
tions include not being
able "to ask my most
pressing life questions in
church" (36%). About one
faith "does not help with
depression or other emo-
tional problems."
The project's findings are de-
tailed in the new book You
Lost Me: Why Young Chris-
tians are Leaving Church and
Rethinking Church. Accord-
ing to the author, Barna
Group President David Kin-
naman, most young adults
no longer
follow the typical path of
leaving home, getting an ed-
married and having kids--all
before the age of 30. "Culti-
vating intergenerational rela-
tionships is one of the most
important ways in which ef-
fective faith communities are
developing flourishing faith
in both young and old,"
he explains.
celebrating and thanking
God for answered prayer
after the country's parlia-
ment granted The Salvation
Army legal recognition as a
church. Legislation in effect
on January 1 had cut the
number of officially regis-
cluded, despite having worked in Hungary from 1924 to
1950 and again since 1990. An amendment made to the
legislation on February 27 named the Army as one of 17
additional organizations recognized.
ened media exposure and parliament's affirmation of The
Salvation Army's legitimate status as a church will further
endear us to the people and open greater opportunities
to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ." The Salvation
Army commenced operations in Hungary in 1924 and con-
tinued until suppressed in 1950. After the opening of the
European borders, the Army was officially reestablished
in 1990 by General Eva Burrows (rtd).
ers and children escaping domestic violence, prisoners
and people suffering physical and mental illness have all
benefited from Army services.
about the five year study by the
Barna Group and about the
book You Lost Me: Why Young
Christians are Leaving the
Church ... and Rethinking Faith
by David Kinnaman, search for
Church Status in Hungary