Why Young Christians Are Leaving Church … and Rethinking Faith
David Kinnaman
with Aly Hawkins
BakerBooks
a division of Baker Publishing Group
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Published by Baker Books
a division of Baker Publishing Group
P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Kinnaman, David, 1973–
You lost me: why young Christians are leaving church, and rethinking faith / David Kinnaman with Aly Hawkins.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 978-0-8010-1314-0 (cloth)—ISBN 978-0-8010-1408-6 (international trade paper)
1. Christian youth—United States—Attitudes. 2. Ex-church members—United States—Attitudes. 3. Religious institutions—United States—Public opinion. 4. Christianity—United States—Public opinion. 5. Public opinion—United States.
I. Hawkins, Aly. II. Title.
BV4531.3.K57 2011
277.3′0830842—dc23
2011022322
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com
Scripture quotations labeled NLT are from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations labeled Message are from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson, copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. All rights reserved.
To protect the privacy and confidentiality of those who have shared their stories with the author, some details and names have been changed.
Donald Kinnaman (1921–1997) Esther Kinnaman (1925–2008)
Walter Rope (1917–1999) Irene Rope (1921–1991)
and to the next
Emily Kinnaman (1999) Annika Kinnaman (2001)
Zachary Kinnaman (2004)
Grant Culver (2003) Lauren Culver (2005)
Kaitlyn Culver (2007) Luke Culver (2009)
Oliver Kinnaman (2011)
Grace Kinnaman (2009) Isaac Kinnaman (2011)
Ellie Kinnaman (2010)
Sydnee Michael (2010)
Josh Rope (1995) Abi Rope (1997) Sarah Rope (1999)
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.
|
About You Lost Me: Why Young Christians Are Leaving Church … and Rethinking FaithIs the church losing the next generation? Millions of young Christians are disconnecting from church as they transition into adulthood. They’re real people, not just statistics. And each one has a story to tell. • “I knew from church that I couldn’t believe in both science and God, so that was it. I didn’t believe in God anymore.” —Mike • “When I write a song that’s not used in a way that every Christian agrees on, I get hammered. What am I supposed to be using my talents for?” —Sam • “I felt like I had been punched in the stomach … I remember thinking on the way home, My non-Christian friends would never do that to me.” —Sarah • “It just feels like the church’s teaching on sexuality is behind the times.” —Dennis Now Kinnaman reveals the long-awaited results of a new nationwide study of 18–29-year-olds with Christian backgrounds. Discover why so many are disengaging from the faith community, renew your hope for how God is at work in the next generation—and find out how you can join in. Based on new research conducted by the Barna Group, You Lost Me exposes ways the Christian community has failed to equip young adults to live “in but not of” the world—to follow Christ in the midst of profound cultural change. This wide-ranging study debunks persistent myths about young dropouts and examines the likely consequences for young adults and for the church if we maintain the status quo. The faith journeys of the next generation are a challenge to the established church, but they can also be a source of hope for the community of faith. Kinnaman, with the help of contributors from across the Christian spectrum, offers ideas for pastors, youth leaders, parents, and educators to pass on a vibrant, lasting faith, and ideas for young adults to find themselves in wholehearted pursuit of Christ. |
| Support Info | ylstmwhyyngchrs |