The MMORPG Movement

[Malvaro]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/religio...OE=click-refer

Young adults aren't sticking with church

By Cathy Lynn Grossman, USA TODAY

Protestant churches are losing young adults in "sobering" numbers, a survey finds.

Seven in 10 Protestants ages 18 to 30 — both evangelical and mainline — who went to church regularly in high school said they quit attending by age 23, according to the survey by LifeWay Research. And 34% of those said they had not returned, even sporadically, by age 30. That means about one in four Protestant young people have left the church.

"This is sobering news that the church needs to change the way it does ministry," says Ed Stetzer, director of Nashville-based LifeWay Research, which is affiliated with the publishing arm of the Southern Baptist Convention.

"It seems the teen years are like a free trial on a product. By 18, when it's their choice whether to buy in to church life, many don't feel engaged and welcome," says associate director Scott McConnell.

The statistics are based on a survey of 1,023 Protestants ages 18 to 30 who said they had attended church at least twice a month for at least one year during high school. LifeWay did the survey in April and May. Margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Few of those surveyed had kind words for fellow Christians when they reflected on how they saw church life in the four years after high school.

Just over half (51%) of Protestant young people surveyed (both the church dropouts and those who stayed on in church after age 22) saw church members as "caring" or had other positive descriptions, such as "welcoming" (48%) or "authentic" (42%).

Among dropouts, nearly all (97%) cited life changes, such as a move. Most (58%) were unhappy with the people or pastor at church. More than half (52%) had religious, ethical or political reasons for quitting.

Dropouts were more than twice as likely than those who continued attending church to describe church members as judgmental (51% for dropouts, 24% for those who stayed), hypocritical (44% vs. 20%) or insincere (41% vs. 19%)

The news was not all bad: 35% of dropouts said they had resumed attending church regularly by age 30. An additional 30% attended sporadically. Twenty-eight percent said "God was calling me to return to the church."

The survey found that those who stayed with or returned to church grew up with both parents committed to the church, pastors whose sermons were relevant and engaging, and church members who invested in their spiritual development.

"Too many youth groups are holding tanks with pizza. There's no life transformation taking place," Stetzer says. "People are looking for a faith that can change them and to be a part of changing the world."

These findings fit with findings by other experts.

"Unless religious leaders take younger adults more seriously, the future of American religion is in doubt," says Princeton sociologist Robert Wuthnow in After the Baby Boomers, due in stores in September.

The proportion of young adults identifying with mainline churches, he says, is "about half the size it was a generation ago. Evangelical Protestants have barely held their own."

In research for an upcoming book, unChristian, Barna Research Group director David Kinnaman found that Christians in their 20s are "significantly less likely to believe a person's faith in God is meant to be developed by involvement in a local church. This life stage of spiritual disengagement is not going to fade away."

About 52% of American adults identify themselves as Protestant or other non-Catholic Christian denominations, according to the 2001 American Religious Identification Survey. That's down from 60% in 1990.

In a recent email I shared,

just goes to show that young adults aren’t willing to keep attending churches where all the people are stuffy and aloof, or where the environment could be mistaken for a visit to a local funeral home. they need to know that a) they are truly family and welcome, b) that their church is alive and vibrant and c) that they are apart of something bigger than themselves that they can invest their lives in.

"This is sobering news that the church needs to change the way it does ministry," says Ed Stetzer

Also, churches that are stuck doing the same things they’ve done for year after year aren’t going to flourish either. “We’ve always done it that way” may have worked years ago, but not anymore.The doctrine should never change, but the methods by which we deliver it has to be cutting-edge.

I played them a lot before I got married... still have a level 50 on Dark Ages of Camelot and City of Heroes but my accounts are disabled so I don't have to pay the monthly fees. There just isn't that much time anymore! lol.

[RandyWayne]

I think marriage is the deciding factor whether or not one is able to play ANY of these games.

[Esther]

My brother who is 57 is addicted to Everquest!

He of course denies he is addicted.

But when you go visit it is nearly impossible to get him to get off the computer to come eat with everyone.

He is way over weight and I think sitting so much as been a big contributor to that.

[Subdued]

Originally Posted by Malvaro

No, they aren't.... but I had to make the first post mysterious enough that it would draw attention....

it may not be an "organized movement" but it certainly is a "cultural trend" especially in the "tech-minded" younger generations....

Would you even know what a "LAN party" is? or what that means?

I found out what a "LAN Party" was this past summer when my 15 y.o. son & his friends had one - or two. My son plays WOW... but he also spends a lot of time going for walks, swimming, running (3-5 miles/day). He seldom misses school, gets straight A's, he rides his bike, walks two miles to the store - just to walk, he's social, has friends, and helps neighbors with yard work (for free/just because). He hardly ever watches TV (because "it's a waste of time"), he prefers to cook his own dinners, and he makes his own breakfast & lunch - every day. He's very physical - he works out daily; doing 18 chin-ups and around 3000 crunches (+ the running, swimming, biking and walking). He keeps his bedroom spotless without being told, and he does the dishes every day. He also takes out the trash (but usually has to be reminded), will clean the bathrooms when asked, and he seldom complains. When he *does* complain, he typically comes back & apologizes for it.

Oh, umm... I just thought I'd take this opportunity to brag about my son! He's a good kid!

[Esther]

Originally Posted by Subdued

I found out what a "LAN Party" was this past summer when my 15 y.o. son & his friends had one - or two. My son plays WOW... but he also spends a lot of time going for walks, swimming, running (3-5 miles/day). He seldom misses school, gets straight A's, he rides his bike, walks two miles to the store - just to walk, he's social, has friends, and helps neighbors with yard work (for free/just because). He hardly ever watches TV (because "it's a waste of time"), he prefers to cook his own dinners, and he makes his own breakfast & lunch - every day. He's very physical - he works out daily; doing 18 chin-ups and around 3000 crunches (+ the running, swimming, biking and walking). He keeps his bedroom spotless without being told, and he does the dishes every day. He also takes out the trash (but usually has to be reminded), will clean the bathrooms when asked, and he seldom complains. When he *does* complain, he typically comes back & apologizes for it.

Oh, umm... I just thought I'd take this opportunity to brag about my son! He's a good kid!

He sounds too good to be true.

You are blessed.

[Subdued]

Originally Posted by Esther

He sounds too good to be true.

You are blessed.

He has his moments! LOL However, I agree - I'm blessed.

My main complaint: He sleeps in his clothes (jeans/t-shirt) and wants to wear them the next day - even after taking a shower. There's more... this is the main one.

[LadyRev]

Originally Posted by Malvaro

The doctrine should never change, but the methods by which we deliver it has to be cutting-edge.

AMEN!!!!!!!!

The other day I passed a dead skunk on the side of the road. My mind immediately thought of how this scenario would illustrate a bible message...particularly for youth. Lots of possibilities with a dead skunk...

Now if the "older" crowd doesn't like this idea you can stick with Lazarus being dead for 4 days instead. That will work too. But with youth, anything weird, unusual or off the wall gets their attention and keeps their attention so that one can drive the point home. Course, I can think of ways to make the Lazarus story a bit off the wall as well.

I love ministering to all ages but youth are the most fun...and challenging...they keep me young!

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by LadyRev

AMEN!!!!!!!!

The other day I passed a dead skunk on the side of the road. My mind immediately thought of how this scenario would illustrate a bible message...particularly for youth. Lots of possibilities with a dead skunk...

I only think of RonB when I see a dead skunk or any skunk for that matter.

[LadyRev]

Originally Posted by Pressing-On

I only think of RonB when I see a dead skunk or any skunk for that matter.

Uhoh, I sense a private joke.