Why I Don't Like Church Anymore - An Introduction

I have an amazing privilege over the next few weeks to explore with some friends an issue that has emerged to the forefront of “Christianity as we know it.” In our post-modern (soon to be post-Christian) North American context, there are a growing number of people who don’t like church anymore.

It seems to be a common trend: you grow up in church, do the routine, and maybe even enjoy it for a bit…but over time it gets old, you lose interest, and you disconnect. Ask the typical twentysomething with previous church experience and you’ll probably hear “I’m sick of it…bored by the tradition, frustrated with the religion, and fed up with the people.”

A recent study from the Barna Research Group shows that 81% of Americans in their twenties were once spiritually engaged church goers during their teenage years. (That percentage seems high for our region. I would think that the statistics for New England are a bit lower. But anyway...) The study goes on to predict, however, that 61% of those young adults will be spiritually disinterested, disengaged, and disconnected from church by their thirtieth birthday.

This is a huge drop off! Look again. Only 20% of those who attend church during their teenage years remain spiritually engaged through their twenties (61% don’t!). What goes on during that time? What changes? Why are twentysomethings rejecting Christian spirituality and fleeing from the church? These are the kinds of questions that need to be addressed.

Jesus says in Matthew 16:18, "I will build my church." What does that look like? Probably not the way things are going today. With the help of Jesus, we need to radically re-think our routine; we need to rigorously re-work our methods. In short, we need to re-define church.

So as my friends and I explore why we don’t like church anymore, as we share our stories, vent our frustrations, and decipher our experiences, my hope is that some answers to questions like these will emerge:

What does Jesus intend his church to be? What role in reform are we called to play? What does a culturally relevant, Biblically faithful church filled with passioante people on mission look like in our region?

As we deconstruct, may we also rebuild. As we vent, may we look to reform. May we find solution to the problem at hand.