You Lost Me: Why Young Christians Are Leaving Church . . . and Rethinking Faith
Overview
Is 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.
In the Logos edition, this volume is enhanced by amazing functionality. Scripture citations link directly to English translations, and important terms link to dictionaries, encyclopedias, and a wealth of other resources in your digital library. Perform powerful searches to find exactly what you’re looking for. Take the discussion with you using tablet and mobile apps. With Logos Bible Software, the most efficient and comprehensive research tools are in one place, so you get the most out of your study.
- Analyzes the decline of church attendance among young adults in recent years
- Examines the reasons many young adults lose their faith
- Discusses ways to engage a new generation of believers
- Dropouts
- Faith, Interrupted
- Access, Alienation, Authority
- Nomads and Prodigals
- Exiles
- Disconnections
- Overprotective
- Shallow
- Antiscience
- Repressive
- Exclusive
- Doubtless
- Reconnections
- What’s Old Is New
- Fifty Ideas to Find a Generation
Top Highlights
“Second, the majority of young dropouts are not walking away from faith, they are putting involvement in church on hold.” (Page 27)
“The next generation is living in a new technological, social, and spiritual reality; this reality can be summed up in three words: access, alienation, and authority.” (Page 39)
“Millions of young Christians were also describing Christianity as hypocritical, judgmental, too political, and out of touch with reality.” (Page 20)
“The research confirmed what we had already been piecing together from other data: 59 percent of young people with a Christian background report that they had or have ‘dropped out of attending church, after going regularly.’ A majority (57 percent) say they are less active in church today compared to when they were age fifteen. Nearly two-fifths (38 percent) say they have gone through a period when they significantly doubted their faith. Another one-third (32 percent) describe a period when they felt like rejecting their parents’ faith.” (Page 23)
“A generation of young Christians believes that the churches in which they were raised are not safe and hospitable places to express doubts. Many feel that they have been offered slick or half-baked answers to their thorny, honest questions, and they are rejecting the ‘talking heads’ and ‘talking points’ they see among the older generations.” (Page 11)
- Jon Acuff
- Francis Chan
- Shane Claiborne
- Kenda Creasy Dean
- Joshua DuBois
- Donna Freitas
- Steven Garber
- Sara Groves
- Gabe Lyons
- Sean McDowell
- Scot McKnight
- Jedd Medefind
- Britt Merrick
- Walt Mueller
- John Ortberg
- Charlie Peacock
- Kara Powell
- Mark Regnerus
- Richard Stearns
- John Stonestreet
- And many more
- Title: You Lost Me: Why Young Christians Are Leaving Church … and Rethinking Faith
- Authors: David Kinnaman, Aly Hawkins
- Publisher: Baker
- Print Publication Date: 2011
- Logos Release Date: 2013
- Pages: 256
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subjects: Christian youth › United States--Attitudes; Ex-church members › United States--Attitudes; Religious institutions › United States--Public opinion; Christianity › United States--Public opinion; Public opinion › United States
- ISBNs: 9781441257185, 9780801013140, 9780801014086, 1441257187, 0801013143, 0801014085
- Resource ID: LLS:YLSTMWHYYNGCHRS
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-30T04:32:30Z
David Kinnaman is president of The Barna Group, which provides research and resources that facilitate spiritual transformation in people’s lives. Since joining Barna in 1995, David has designed and analyzed nearly 500 studies for a variety of churches, nonprofits, and corporations. He and George Barna write a free research report published online at www.barna.org.