GOD MAY BE FINE BUT THE CHURCH IS NOT

Thirty years ago, no one questioned the value of the local church, of church membership and involvement in church programs. Many do today. I am writing with the Caucasian North American church in mind. The demographics and stats may differ in other countries and continents. The demographic that most of our churches are missing are teens, college students, young working adults, and young marrieds. They are the Millenials and for them, God may be fine but church is not.
Millenials tend to drift, finding contentment wherever it can be found. New innovations, new music and new voices are attractive. Some millenials weary of not putting down roots and do desire community but do not see the local church as being able to provide that. The truth is, many churches are not providing it and cannot provide it. There is apprehension among such Millenials and some older people as well, that the local church may extinguish their passion for God. Some have concluded that local church life is equivalent to rigidity. They may be right. Millenials crave to change the world and they have energy and courage to try. Unless the local church makes room for changing paradigms and ideas and resources them, everyone will be stifled. They will seek new challenges and opportunities and if they do not find them locally, they will move on. There is so much potential within the millennial generation that when they do not invest themselves in a multi-cultural local church, the community church is the loser, and so is the surrounding geographic societal community. I still believe that Millenials can find community, integrity, and authenticity within a local church and they will therefore in that safe environment mature spiritually, develop giftedness and receive wise counsel from mature believers. That wisdom is necessary because Millenials are engaged in a time of life with so many variables and so much transition from completing school to finding a career to meeting a partner to beginning a family and a home. The support of community is crucial. The great risk is that without local church moorings, as life becomes challenging, faith can be abandoned. That is less likely when surrounded by other believers who care.