Pre-Course Reading

Amy Hall

March 15, 2021

I must have an affinity for off-topic topics. For seeing a direction and deciding to
go with the gist of it but ultimately go my own way. That is why I chose the topic of
losing faith. If you were to google “what are contemporary youth issues?” losing faith
most likely would not be on that list. However, it is an issue we are seeing in churches
seemingly everywhere. So what is to blame? I looked at the perspectives of Christian
experts as well, and looked to see what atheists were saying to our young people, are
they the issue? I predict there will be no one cause to blame, but rather a cultural shift
the church has yet to adapt to.

The book “Faith for Exiles” by David Kinnaman and Mark Matlock is a book I
think every leader of young people should read. It debriefs research done by the Barna
group on the shifting dynamics of young people in the church. Armed with a plethora of
stats, they break down what young people and the church needs to do to create resilient
disciples. So for the topic of losing faith, there is no better resource. They found that
only 10% of young people raised in the church actually live out their faith in the way
Christianity was intended. With that statistic in mind, when you look at the topic of losing
faith, shouldn't we be more concerned! Only 10% have persevered in their faith.
Kinnaman and Matlock attribute this to living in a “digital Babylon”, they describe it as a
pluralistic, frenetic, diverse, open-source, complex civilization that its idol is FOMO and
not fitting in. The culture we seem to live in is bright and flashy, desiring to draw our
attention in, and in turn away from Jesus. When you think of it like that, maybe 10% isn't
so surprising after all.

The next book I consulted was “Meet Generation Z: Understanding and

Reaching the New Post-Christian World” by James Emery White. The insights I gleaned
from him were that GenZ’s have grown up in a fearful hopeless world. As quoted from
the New York Times in his book, GenZ has, “has had its eyes open from the beginning,
coming along in the aftermath of those cataclysms in the era of the war on terror and
the Great Recession.” (pg 39). Gen Z has grown up seeing school shootings, not as an
anomaly but just as another daily event happening across the US. GenZ has grown up
in a post 9/11 world, no airport security is unfathomable to them, for them, it’s always
been the norm. So what has been a result of this? Distrust of authority and government.
From the very top to even church leadership. GenZ has seen enough headlines of
failing church leaders to be disillusioned with the rosy glow that used to surround the
church. So is that it? Have the global acts of terror and betrayal been enough to drive
our young people from the church, no? Not entirely. It can't be that hopeless for this
generation. We are seeing a multi-racial, multi-ethnic, and multi-religious generation.
White recounts that GenZ has the most access to information than any generation
before. More information about any topic of interest, sexuality and religion. So is the
internet driving our kids away from the church? Maybe a little? But the larger issue here
is the access to information without wisdom. Who is walking with our young people as
they come across arguments against their faith?

This brings me to my next resource, “What If I'm an Atheist?: A Teen's Guide to

Exploring a Life Without Religion” By David Seidman. I thought what is the exact
opposite of faith, no faith, and who better to educate me on faithlessness than an
atheist. Now as I perused this book, I could discount things here and there. I’ve
researched apologetics and can see through cheap gimmicks as a way to disprove
Christianity. But, when a young person, who is probably already doubting, comes
across a book like this it is much more influential. If we are having kids grow up in this
terror-filled hopeless world, looking to God who is supposed to be good and sees no
answer to the suffering around them, what may they assume? Well, they make the step
to assume there is no God. If we are not ready as leaders and parents to sit with them
as they doubt, they will walk away from the church.

In conclusion, there is no shortage of reason for our young people to lose faith?
From our culture to our untrustworthy leaders, our collective sin has given fodder to
turning away from the cross instead of turning to it. So what must we do to encourage
our young people to see God as the good Father he is? Sit with them, slow down,
acknowledge the doubts and fears and ultimately leave it up to God. I once heard it
said, God, is so much better at introducing himself than I am. I think that also applies to
reintroducing himself, day after day.

Bibliography
 Kinnaman, D., & Matlock, M. (2019). Faith for Exiles. Grand Rapids: Baker Books.

● Kinnaman and Matlock debrief research done by the Barna group on the shifting
dynamics of young people in the church. Armed with a plethora of stats, they
break down what young people and the church needs to do to create resilient
disciples.

Seidman, D., (2015). What if i'm an atheist? A Teen's Guide to Exploring a Life
Without Religion.

New York: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division.

● Seidman’s book offers advice for young people questioning their faith. Guiding
them through the basics of Atheism. Answering common doubts as well as
offering guidance on how to communicate this newfound choice to parents and
peers.

White, J., (2017). Meet generation Z. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books.

● White’s book offers crucial insights on our next generation, generation Z. He first
describes what they look like, the world they were raised in, the issues they are
facing today. The fact that they are losing faith, he then continues on to implore
the church to meet them where they are at and seek to know them and serve
them as they grow.