Authentic Christianity: Why Young People Leave the Church (and How We Can Inspire Them to Stay)
Вставка
- Опубліковано 2 кві 2021
- "Why Young People Leave: Exploring Common Ministry Mistakes in the Way We Introduce People to the Church"
60% of young American Christians fall away from the tradition that raised them. We face the same problem in the Orthodox Church.
In this talk, Steve presents three common ministry mistakes. And he explores how we can transform those mistakes into opportunities for transformational ministry that meets the needs of young people.
This is the first of two talks that are part of the Lenten retreat titled: Authentic Christianity: Why Young People are Leaving the Church (and How We Can Inspire them to Stay) .
The second talk was given by Father Andrew Stephen Damick.
The retreat took place as a live, virtual panel discussion on April 3, 2021.
For more about the ministry ideas in this video, check out Y2AM's ministry training course:
effectivechristianministry.org/
#BeTheBee #SharingTheGospel #ChristianMinistry
You have uncovered some real issues here, am so thankful.
Glory to God!
Thank you. Glory to God
This is needed, as saddening as it may be at times.
As a convert who turned 25 a few months ago, I wanted to weigh in on this discussion. I think that many young adults like myself, that is, from a Protestant or Roman Catholic background, are attracted to Orthodoxy because we basically read our way into the church. Western thought can be rather by-the-book, so we read comparative theology, Church history, maybe watch lectures or videos talking about the Orthodox worldview, etc. From my personal experience, none of that was difficult. Actually, it was enjoyable and exciting because I finally found the church that got it "right" after church hopping as a teenager into my young adult life. Getting acquainted with the liturgical worship and cultural traditions has gotten easier but can still be challenging. I stay involved in young adult groups and while they are welcoming, I can't seem to shake the feeling that I'm an outsider because I'm not Greek, Russian, Serbian, etc. Some "cradle" Orthodox are even surprised to meet someone like me. Maybe they're only used to converts when someone joins the Church for marriage? Not sure.
I wonder if some cradle Orthodox feel that the Church is more of a cultural club for them rather than a spiritual hospital. I volunteered at a Greek festival and saw plenty of people helping, but many of them confided that they hadn't been to the services in a while. That problem isn't exclusive to Orthodoxy, for what it's worth. There are plenty of Irish-Americans who are Catholic because that's the mold they've been cast in, but when was the last time they went to Mass? I don't judge them, everyone has their own struggles and I'll admit that I don't always make it to Church. I just wonder if while Orthodoxy baptizing a culture is a good thing, does Orthodoxy become just another part of the culture? Is being a particular ethnicity good enough to be considered part of the Church, no personal effort required? When young adults have the choice to either hang out with their grandparents on Sunday morning or sleep in and watch NFL with their American friends later, and questions about the spiritual life are absent, is it any wonder they eventually fall away?
Just my two cents, take it for what it's worth.
Great points. And I'm sorry you've encountered these challenges!
On one extreme, people can view the Church as just another organization (ethnic club, etc).
On the other, people can view the Church as just a philosophical school.
We all face our temptations and challenges. Both these extremes veer away from the divine reality of the Church.
@@stevenchristoforou1667 agreed. I'll add, too, that while I have encountered challenges, they are really nothing new. Even at the non-denominational church in which I was raised, there were all sorts of cliques. Even my parents lamented that part of congregational life. I think that there's just something about people that makes us tribal, in a sense. As the saying goes, "birds of a feather flock together." So I've always felt welcomed while still being on the outside, as paradoxical as it sounds. But during the last few years that I've been Orthodox has actually been when I feel most welcome at church. Even if the Church has a reputation for being too "ethnic", it is still diverse, and the honest Christians within don't let differences get in the way. Some get uneasy, but I have found that they're few and far between. I think that with young adults today, many of them are more comfortable with people from outside of their culture, so they aren't confused when "outsiders" join the Church. They often find it interesting and say, "welcome home!"
I like what you said about how God is not an idea to be agreed with, but rather a person to be encountered. That's going to stick with me. Thank you, Steve!
@@joshua_wherley I always appreciate your sober and thoughtful comments, Joshua!
Thank you for your ministry, Steve!
Glory to God!
I find that my kids are a bit lost when we go to church because of the language barrier. We go to a Greek Orthodox Church and the only time my kids understand is the Lord’s Prayer and The Creed. They just started to follow the liturgy book in Greek and English which helps
I'm glad the book helps! Yes, the language barrier can be a problem.
Yeah, too bad god messed up languages huh?!
So why did god confuse languages again? What did god gain with that?
Very insightful video.
I refuse to go to the temple anymore because I don’t trust the church after the things I’ve seen. I converted to the Church 5 yo ago.
When I was in my darkest place they did nothing for me. They made me feel like a leper. I reached out for support and love. They shamed me and now I feel embarrassed and ashamed to be at church. I rather stay at home and say private prayers. It’s been 3 years since I took Eucharist and I don’t think I will until my deathbed at this point.
Lord have mercy. It takes courage to say that, and I appreciate your honesty.
I also sincerely regret that you experienced something to hurtful. I'm very sorry. I hope God heals those wounds, and that the Church receives you with joy.
I think that ive heard someont talk about this (it mightve been Y2AM) they talked about how potential saints are killed off and condemed because of peoples judgement (they took the example of St Mary of egypt) and they basically said that so many potential saints are lost because of other peoples condemation, hate instead of a warm weclome and love. Dont be sad and go to church! God is with you. Sorry im not that experianced, you should ask a priest. God bless you!
I think I’d be pleased if my young adult children wanted to join a “new group” - and looked at a Christian church instead of a bar! In time I think young people will develop religious understanding, if it’s modeled in a healthy way. But, not everyone is a deep thinker at age 21 or even 25. Just as you describe in this video, my daughter (who was raised Presbyterian) and her husband converted to Orthodoxy - her beloved grandfather’s faith practice. Orthodox traditions are a rich and satisfying anchor of truth in these confusing times. Bee 🐝 of good cheer and keep getting the message out there.
ቃለ ህይወት ያሰማልን Ethiopic tongue to mean "Let God let you hear word of life" at the day of judgement! Mr. Steve let you know that your podcasts have been helping us tremendously. You might not know but actually we are sharing your teachings.
Glory to God! This is wonderful to hear. :-)
My heart is open, thanks for the video. Please keep me in your prayers as a catechumen, I will be chrismated Holy Saturday. I keep in touch will many youth from both sides of the isle and my heart goes out to all who fall out the back door not knowing what to believe or where to go. I hope and the pray that God uses me to help remedy that.
God bless you!
Watch blogging theology on youtube
Watch One message foundation on youtube.
At the end is mention of a video by Fr. Andrew Damick. Where may I find that?
Unfortunately, that won't be available apart from the retreat. But he'll soon publish a book that covers that topic in even greater depth. Stay tuned!
@@stevenchristoforou1667 ah, ok. sad to hear the video won't be available. I'm a slow reader and it's hard to share books as easily as videos :)
my friends older brother (about 15 yrs old) is entering the orthodox church
Thank you for this. We discussed your video in our servants meeting :)
Steve, The Church is the '...pillar of truth". We offer the way of salvation and everlasting life. As we stray from 'you were formerly dead in your trespasses and sins' and scratch our heads about meeting the psychological needs of our society, don't we dilute our message and lose the 'power of God unto salvation to all who believe...'?
The Church is the pillar of truth, but our ministry efforts don't always reflect that.
And how can we honestly minister to people if we don't take their psychological needs into account?
@@stevenchristoforou1667 Where else shall we go? (Jn 6) - the Church has the words of everlasting life. If we believed that and were willing to die for it - we would also be believed - no psychology needed :)
@@stevenchristoforou1667 or in the words of Charles Spurgeon, "Set yourself on fire and people will come for miles to watch you burn."
@@johnmiglautsch4587 Yes, we'd definitely be more effective witnesses if we actually believed.
We'd also be more sensitive and loving pastors, who tailored our words to the needs of our people.
This is exceptionally well done.
Glory to God! Thanks, Professor.
some churches don’t have Sunday school that I think it’s really important
It can be, depending on what happens in Sunday School. The mere existence of a program isn't, by itself, a positive thing. It depends on what kids are experiencing.
Great inquiry. And no doubt if you buy the lie, you must live the lie. Let God trample it. Start now.
People are overwhelmed by choice of activities today.
but my sister is now "not identifing" as orthodox
Great and eye opening video! We need to be in the world and not a part of it! Glory to God and thank you for your work
Is there a way to view fr andrew’s video?
@@christophermihaly7029 Not at the moment, unfortunately. But he'll be publishing a book very soon which expands on what he covered in his talk. It's going to be a very good read!
Exactly. Hit it right on.
The church is not to conform to humanity. Humanity I'd to co form to the church. This practice has been going on for 2000 years.
We need to realize that the bible is a lie.
Sense I am a Convert, I have experienced people who I was baptized with leave our parish very quick and I'm sadly no longer friends with them. One thing that also leads young people away from Religoun like Mormons sense I'm from Utah is because they want to do things that are immoral.
I think a lot of what you're saying is so true - people want to be heard, want deep connections etc. But these to me sound like the wisdom of the secular world. Where is this inherent in Orthodoxy? Sure we have Orthodoxy, but to really make it work, we need the higher wisdom of the world. That sounds bad!
They need to send missionaries from Russia and Greece 🙏🏻🤷🏻♂️😅No but seriously I feel that as a young convert from evangelicalism most Americans are ignorant of Orthodoxy and probably view it as ethnic Catholicism. Sadly I will say that The first church I started going to a couple years ago could have been more welcoming and less, well.....apathetic towards new converts. Wasn’t the early church (and even during the time of Athanasius/Chrysostom) prone to teach and help converts and catechumen‘s? America is ripe for mission work, yet it sometimes feels like those in charge are content serving their old ethnic communities. Forgive me for my brashness but I’m just a new convert full of zeal🤷🏻♂️🙏🏻☦️
In some sense, the Church came here accidentally. Many immigrants had no intention of staying in the United States very long: they came to work, and intended to return to the Old Country.
So, for decades, there wasn't much interest in sharing the Gospel with others. The infrastructure was designed to support temporary residents. Yet, as people have been putting down roots in the US, that's changed. The Church has taken massive steps forward in its outreach in just the last decade. We're on the right path, glory to God!
Probably view it as ethnic Catholicism. Yep pretty much. When many Americans think the Orthodox church they know there's the Greek, Russian, etc. church and think that only those from the respective ethnicity can be part of the church. I live near a town with a large Greek community and I remember trying to explain to one lady that if one wanted to become Orthodox one could go talk to a priest at the local Greek Orthodox church about getting baptized and she just had such a hard time believing that they would baptize someone who's not Greek. Both the non-religious Westerners and American Protestants have very little knowledge of Orthodox Christianity. American Protestants will see the saints, the icons, and liturgy and immediately dismiss it as Catholicism because of its similarities and won't look any further into it.
@@asurrealistworld4412 Well..to an extent..however, a more correct way to state this is: "some American Protestants," etc.... because some others see them and are not intimidated by them like me and many other of my friends who converted to Orthodoxy.
People leave your church because the culture shock
I was a young orthodox and never invited
Any of my friends to my parish because
It would have been a cultural shock a church basically filled with older people and husbands and wives and little kids
You.hardly see 20”s and 30;s single eastern
Orthodox Christians or programs or activities for those people in any parishes
Except the Greeks do have hepa or something like that for 20”s and 30’s
Another question, perhaps is, what is truly known to be orthodox ua-cam.com/video/Jv3iOS69Uws/v-deo.html
Lifestyle not acceptable keeping people away from church. This is very sad. God loves all his children. So why can we not receive communion and be accepted.
What do you mean?
@@stevenchristoforou1667 Hi Steve. Gender lifestyles. I’m a lesbian with my partner (wife) for 21 years. The. Church that is close to my house will not let me receive communion. I can go to church be a member but I can’t receive communion and if I was to pass away I could not be blessed in the church. This is what I’m faced with. Meanwhile gossipers, and people who pretend to be religious are welcomed with open arms. It hurts.
@@stevenchristoforou1667 I believe others in my situation stay away from our Orthodox Church and seek other religions. For me I believe in god I love god and I will continue to follow and continue to read my prayer books the Bible and gospel follow church services online due to Covid. I now what I believe in my heart and I will not let that Priest turn me away. I have found a priest who welcomes all gods children. Anyway I love your broadcasts always looking forward to new episodes. God bless 🙏
@@andreak9974 Christ is Risen!
Thanks for your honesty, Andrea. I can't imagine how much that must hurt.
May God bless you.
@@andreak9974 you're acting like you're persecuted for the unchanging fact that you are in a homosexual relationship. The Christian perspective is that this is a sin and if you won't repent, then you are unrepentant. Period. You think Christianity should change for you, but Christianity is actually about changing yourself. And yes, it is something you can change your heart towards and take action towards. What would we put before God is the question? I guess you would put this above God. God doesn't want us to put anything before him. If he says anything, we should say Yes Lord! If God says, hey can I impregnant you without you even having sex? A godly woman says "Let it be done, according to your word!" Shocking, but this is godliness.
If this isn't strong enough wording, I don't know what is:
Luke 14:26
“If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.”
Maybe we just grew up and realised it's a fairy tale, that's part the reason I left the catholic faith 40+ years ago, I also saw through the hypocrisy within the faith.
Authentic Christianity, or Churchianity?
This is a great way to summarize this video.
As a believer to me and single people debate with self-indulgence/where to find it in the bible A-z resource
Unknown Moving Lights In The Heavens. What Are They?! They are not made made. Sigh!!! if Prayer really works, then Pray for all living beings!!!
Your question is the wrong one. It's not the church ministry efforts that have to be reimagined. It's that everybody has a little box in their pocket today that affords access to the aggregation of human knowledge and wisdom. Nobody has to depend on one guy at the front of the church to tell them what's what anymore. It's just not that difficult to find out about the bloody history of Christianity, about the anti-Semitism at Nicaea that glued "Christianity" to Rome's coat-tails with all the power, wealth, influence, and imperialism that afforded the "faith". Literacy has resulted in actual READING COMPREHENSION so seeing the animal sacrifice, ritual male genital mutilation that was "commanded" (whether or not you accede that that is "for today" or not), demeaning of women (even in the NT you see women working faithfully in the church, but then also being told to sit down and shut up) and even just outright slaughter of anyone and their babies who disagreed that one should be allowed to steal their land, and It's very easy to learn about other belief systems that had high moral standards long BEFORE Christianity came along. Look at what the "faithful" did to John Wycliffe and William Tyndale FOR THE SIN OF TRANSLATING THE BIBLE INTO THE PEOPLE'S LANGUAGE. Martin Luther - flaming anti-Semite who wanted Jews' homes and businesses burned to the ground, who said to go ahead and sin because there's grace enough. Christianity can't hide in terror-filled shadows any longer.
PS. It's not just "young people" (by which you also imply that they're too young and stupid to understand or something). I'd bet that many of the "older" people sitting in the pews yesterday ("Easter" Sunday - derived directly from pagan fertility worship which your OWN BIBLE says not to do Deut 12) are sitting there scared to leave, terrified that they might, in fact, go to hell even though they're basically good people, frightened of what their "friends" will say or that they will be abandoned by family or held to public ridicule in being thrown out of the church they've gone to their entire lives. They just go through the motions, trying to ignore the alarm bells in their heads, *because they don't know how to leave.*
One the challenges we have is access to data either out of context (which leads us to misunderstand it), or "data" that is completely made up.
Women aren't told to "sit down and shut up" in the NT, for example. Nor was there antisemitism at Nicaea. Easter doesn't come from pagan fertility worship.
Once you get to Wycliffe and Tyndale, you start getting into religious traditions that have nothing to do with the Church. Missionaries have translated the Gospel into local languages from the beginning.
I think you're responding to caricatures of Catholicism. And misunderstanding actual Christianity in the process.
How was nicaea anti semetic?
@@stevenchristoforou1667 To be fair... the new testament does say that women are to keep silent in the churches.
Wrong! We are learning through close examination of the Bible that the church is teaching false doctrine. Figure it out.
and is not going to any church
Hello, many questions are answered in Quran. Take a Quran and read from beginning to end.
Insha'Allah it will help you.
No, thank you. The Quran won't help answer any of the questions we pose in this video.
And, since the Quran denies that Jesus is the divine Son of God, I'm afraid that's another reason not to be interested.
Thanks for commenting. God bless you!
@@stevenchristoforou1667 According to Christianity Jesus himself is God which becomes human.
@@stevenchristoforou1667 watch blogging theology on youtube.
@@SchuelerCool Jesus is God who became human incarnate = Jesus is the Son of God; in Christianity, these are saying the same thing.
A N A T H E M A_ Apostasy is a sin! This video is not Orthodox! _ A N A T H E M A
It it not your place to be handing out anathemas.
And nothing in the video "is not Orthodox." If you'd rather pile on people who have fallen from the Church, rather than earnestly try to reach them, I don't know what to tell you.
Absolutely I have the right as an Orthodox Christian to anathematize what the Church already anathematizes in her services!
What happened to leaving the 99 and going after the 1? You keep shouting anathemas at those who struggle. To question and struggle I do not think falls within that category.
@@cononiconium5059 The Church doesn't anathematize people who've fallen away.
Go back and read Luke 15. Are you approaching the issue of lost youth and young adults in the spirit of the lost sheep or coin?
And speak about this with your spiritual father. You're seriously misunderstanding your role in the Church.
I'm not Orthodox, but maybe a better way of looking at this is that they are anathema FOR NOW, but we want to bring them back! They're not permanently anathema.
The entire video is playing on victimhood mentality. If you leave the Church you are an apostate and this is your sin. Yes there are ways where "ministry" could be improved but this should be coming from our hierarchy and not random lay people on the internet (with all due respect). If you leave the Church you leave Christs' body and you choose this and will be judged for it, no matter what sob stories one might tell about their priests (deserving or otherwise).
I'm Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. This is literally my job.
Your comment doesn't reflect any of the pastoral sensitivity one actually needs in interactions with people. Calling someone an apostate isn't particularly helpful.
Nor is it your job.
@@stevenchristoforou1667 With all due respect, your jurisdiction is not even currently in communion with at least the majority of nominally Orthodox people (i.e. the Russian Church) due to reasons like this. Somebody who leaves the religion is an apostate - by definition. Apostasy is a sin an making a 40 minute video judging the Church while promoting victim mentality and pity is not spiritually healthy for people, nor is it Orthodox!
@@cononiconium5059 This is 100% untrue. The Archdiocese is in communion with (and has an excellent relationship with) the other canonical jurisdictions here in the United States. The Assembly of Canonical Bishops is proof of that.
And like I said, my job is Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries. The purpose of the video is to call us to repentance and refocus on what makes us the Church; to focus on spiritual practices rather than programmatic crutches.
The video has nothing to do with "victim mentality and pity." If you watched it, you clearly didn't understand it.
@@stevenchristoforou1667 I am newly baptised Orthodox and unfortunately this video resonates. This comment section kinda highlights what you are talking about Steven... maybe I am wrong but there can be really harsh sentiments towards anyone who doesn't "get" Orthodoxy. Is the Orthodox educational approach in need of an update perhaps? More guidance or a different approach to guidance? More "sensitivity" perhaps? Yes I said the word "sensitive." Anyway, thank you so much for this entirely refreshing viewpoint.
@@forray_forever We aren't called to "get Orthodoxy." We are called to know Christ.
We've turned the Church into a philosophical (or even ideological) system. Things break down from there and lead to harshness, unfortunately.