Why are college kids leaving the Church?
I’m really bothered by something and it’s starting to irritate me greatly. I keep reading and hearing about kids going off to college and then dropping out of church and never coming back. There are lots of reasons cited (hypocrisy, someone hurt them, they don’t like the rules, etc) but there is one reason given which I think is simply because our discipleship training simply doesn’t include it. The reason is Intellectual challenges to Christianity.
They’re going off to college like sheep to the slaughter. Their professors are “authority figures” and supposedly the most knowledgeable people in their subject field. When the professor makes a case for agnosticism, “the Bible is full of myths”, atheism, inclusivism, etc – they will sound very credible. It will be logically laid out with historical case studies, cultural studies, scientific proofs or other academic supporting documentation. Dad and Mom and their local pastor seem like “well meaning folks” that really aren’t in touch with reality. “God said it, I believe it and that settles it” is not going to get it done in a university setting.
I watched this video on youtube. A guy like this might end up being your kid’s college roommate or something. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAuFJKQh83Y
These are basically the questions he asked:
1. Why should anyone believe the Bible? How do you know that it is true?
2. Is there any rational justification for belief in God?
3. Why are you a Christian? What is the main reason you are a Christian?
4. Do you think the world is 6,000 to 10,000 years old? If so, how do you reconcile the findings of science today?
5. Why would you believe anything on faith?
Every Christian should be able to answer these! Why don’t we have apologetics as part of our discipleship programs, or part of kids ministries? We are just asking for kids to walk away from the faith because we haven’t armed them for battle.
Colossians 2:8
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.
I Peter 3:15a
But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.
I think we are doing a major injustice to any high school student by sending them off to college without proper training in basic Christian apologetics.
They’re going off to college like sheep to the slaughter. Their professors are “authority figures” and supposedly the most knowledgeable people in their subject field. When the professor makes a case for agnosticism, “the Bible is full of myths”, atheism, inclusivism, etc – they will sound very credible. It will be logically laid out with historical case studies, cultural studies, scientific proofs or other academic supporting documentation. Dad and Mom and their local pastor seem like “well meaning folks” that really aren’t in touch with reality. “God said it, I believe it and that settles it” is not going to get it done in a university setting.
I watched this video on youtube. A guy like this might end up being your kid’s college roommate or something. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAuFJKQh83Y
These are basically the questions he asked:
1. Why should anyone believe the Bible? How do you know that it is true?
2. Is there any rational justification for belief in God?
3. Why are you a Christian? What is the main reason you are a Christian?
4. Do you think the world is 6,000 to 10,000 years old? If so, how do you reconcile the findings of science today?
5. Why would you believe anything on faith?
Every Christian should be able to answer these! Why don’t we have apologetics as part of our discipleship programs, or part of kids ministries? We are just asking for kids to walk away from the faith because we haven’t armed them for battle.
Colossians 2:8
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.
I Peter 3:15a
But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.
I think we are doing a major injustice to any high school student by sending them off to college without proper training in basic Christian apologetics.
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christian apologetics,
college,
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