NoelHeikkinen.com

Why we target young

Aug 8, 2007 Print This Post

.:mood:. Sad and Inspired
.:itunes:. 8 Mile by Eminem

As a church, we target Teens, College Students, SIngles, and Young Families.

Yes, we have lots of people who are outside of this target, but they are people who understand and are excited about this mission.

Why do we do this? The answer is in Monday’s USA Today (via The Corner).

Seventy percent of Protestants — both evangelical and mainline — age 18 to 30 drop out of church before age 23 and give multiple reasons for their departure. 34% of those said they had not returned, even sporadically, by age 30.

Yes, we have lots of people who are outside of this target, but they are people who understand and are excited about this mission.

Here are the main reasons they gave for leaving:

• Wanted a break from church: 27%

• Found church members judgmental or hypocritical: 26%

• Moved to college: 25%

• Tied up with work: 23%

• Moved too far away from home church: 22%

• Too busy: 22%

• Felt disconnected to people at church: 20%

• Disagreed with church’s stance on political/social issues: 18%

• Spent more time with friends outside church: 17%

• Only went before to please others: 17%