Barna research findings about young Christians abandoning church are included in a new book by David Kinnaman (@davidkinnaman) titled You Lost Me: Why Young Christians are Leaving Church and Rethinking Faith.
The research project was comprised of 8 national studies, including interviews with teenagers, young adults, parents, youth pastors, and senior pastors. The study of young adults focused on those who were regular churchgoers Christian church during their teen years and explored their reasons for disconnection from church life after age 15.
No single reason dominated the break-up between church and young adults. Instead, a variety of reasons emerged. Overall, the research uncovered 6 significant themes why nearly 3 out of every 5 young Christians (59%) disconnect either permanently or for an extended period of time from church life after age 15:
· Churches seem overprotective.
· Teens’ and twentysomethings’ experience of Christianity is shallow.
· Churches come across as antagonistic to science.
· Young Christians’ church experiences related to sexuality are often simplistic, judgmental.
· They wrestle with the exclusive nature of Christianity.
· The church feels unfriendly to those who doubt.