Why Do So Many Young Adults Leave the Church?

I just finished reading Essential Church by Thom Rainer and his son Sam Rainer III. This book was written to leaders in the church. The authors answer the questions: why do so many young people leave the church? and what will it take to bring them back?

The book reveals many insights that the authors have gained from interviews they have conducted with young adults.

The chapter entitled "A New Spin on Hypocrisy" is powerful. Their findings show that young adults are much more likely to drop out of church if their parents are not involved. Dropping your teen off at church is a sure fire way to insure that you will be taking your grandchildren to church also. People who serve, faithfully attend, and speak positively about the church and its leadership have a much greater opportunity to succeed in raising adults who will be involved in a faith community.

Most young adults did not have significant reasons for dropping out of church. It could be summed up in one statement. It was not imporatant to my parents and it is not important to me. The authors have discovered that secular universities, public education, and the church are NOT the greatest contributors to young people leaving the church. The root (of hypocrisy) is found in the family unit. 

You may be heading down a road that will take you to a destination you won't like. The popular church culture has created the largest back door in over 75 years. Parent, what do you want your child to be doing in ten years? Does it look like what you are doing now?