The reason why young people don't want to go to church, is because it doesn't relate to them. This is not all churches and it definitely is not the church that I preach at, but it is an issue in general. I even stopped going to church for 6 years myself. I was 18 years old and just went off to Georgia Southern University. I was going to class and living it up! Boy let me tell you! I was drinking, smoking, popping pills, and having sex. I was also doing my rap thing pretty heavy.
So for where I was at in my life, the churches I was familiar with, do not reach me where I was. I did not feel what they had to offer served as a practical application to me. It wasn't even about me living an evil life and I didn't want to hear what the church had to say. I just didn't feel the "come as you are" vibe from the church.
I also was rapping while I was in church and faced some scrutiny as a young teenager for rapping in church. Some people thought it was the devil lol. I never thought that, but it made me resent church along with a lot of other hypocrisy.
This is just my personal take on why I stopped going to church, but I know that many people of my generation feel a similar way. It wasn't until I was introduced to All About Change Ministries by a close friend that I tried church again. This time it was so different I had to join. The pastor not only embraced my musical abilities, but he embraced the REAL me. All my flaws and crazy decision I had made. And he also pushed me into what I was born to become. The culture was so different. I never heard a pastor say things like "swag" and "hell" and "damn". I was intrigued. I also had never heard a preacher admit that he was not perfect. Once Pastor Elam prophesied to me that was suppose to be on BET and MTV and doing some really great things, I knew I was at the right place.
I would have never guessed I would be so committed to a church. I always believed I would be part of some kind of ministry eventually, but I thought it would be after I already got rich and famous. I had no idea that joining this church would push me into the destiny God had already gave me a glimpse of. So I said all that to say that I don't believe that young people just hate church. I think that young people would love church if they went to the RIGHT church. The one that God called them to go to. Let's face it, the old way of doing things are over. God said in Isaiah 43:18 & 19 "Behold, I will do anew thing". But a lot of these churches continue to do an old thing. You have to embrace people where they are. From the club goers to the drug addicts, from the gay to the straight. Jesus did not come to condemn. He came to save. If you are a Christian I love you. If you are not a Christian, I love you. No matter what you believe, I guarantee we relate to each other on some level. Be blessed.
Comments