Fact: Our Children are Leaving• Over the years I have witnessed:

– Children who have regularly “gone to church” who are no longer doing so today.

– Parents who are heart-broken yetare bewildered as to why.

Haven’t We Tried Diligently?• Provide excellent Bible classes/teachers.

– Seemingly great curriculum.– Excellent materials/resources.

• Preached on.– Doctrinal and moral issues.– Being convicted about our walk.

Somehow, we’re possibly missing something, have our priorities out ofplace, or have a misplaced focus.

To make sense of this “exodus” a survey was done with the following purpose:*

– Who was leaving– Why they leaving– What (if anything) could be

done about it.

*Page 27

The Sample:

1,000 20-29 Yr olds

Coastto

Coast • All from a conservative, evangelicalchurch: attended church weekly (or nearly) growing up but never/seldom today

• Balanced according to population gender• Just over ½ age 25-29; rest 20-24 yrs.

Self-righteous people

Too political

Hypocrisy of leaders

Legalism

Boring service

10%

10%

11%

11%

12%

Top Five Reasons for Leaving

Misc.

Sunday school class

Music

Friends

Outreach to community

Pastor's teaching

Special events

Worshipping God

0.2%

5.4%

7.0%

13.6%

15.4%

18.6%

19.2%

20.6%

500 Who Missed a Part of Church “Is there any part of the church service that you miss today?”

Of these 1,000• 95% regularly attended church

during their elementary/middle school yrs.

• 55% during high school years.• 11% during early college

years.

“Did you attend church

regularly during…

elementary/ middle school

years, high school,

throughout your college

days?”

When They First Had Doubts• 39.8% during Middle School• 43.7% during High School• 10.6% during College

The Numbers Speak Volumes!1. Nearly 40% first have doubts during Middle

School so that by the time they reach High School only 55% attend church regularly.

2. Nearly 44% first have doubts during High School so that by the time they reach College less than 11% attended church regularly.

What Do These Numbers Mean?

We’re NOT losing our children when they leave home… they are “ALREADY GONE”… while home.

Bible has errors

Science shows earth old

(Bible) Contradicts itself

Not translated correctly

Written by men

11.0%

13.8%

14.7%

18.4%

24.4%

Top Five Reasons for Doubt“What made you begin to doubt the Bible?”

“Did God Really Say?”• Parents aren’t doing much in the way of

teaching the fundamentals of the faith to their children.

• There are only 3 hours of teaching at church services/wk.– And, teachings at church are more stories

than events.– Apologetical teaching to our children.

• Then doubts creep in our children. cp. Gen. 3:2

IF…

This is the Reason…• Parents need to diligently teach their

children…as soon as possible. Dt. 6:5-9; Eph. 6:4

• The primary teaching responsi-bility is NOT in the pulpit nor the Bible Class room.

We Need To Equip Our Children• Which means we must first be equipped.• We have to be convicted about ALL the

Bible… from creation to Revelation.• We need to grow in our ability to

teach our convictions to ourchildren. 2 Cor. 10:4-5