The Future of Christianity



I'm beyond concerned about the state of religion, more specifically Christianity, amongst young people in our country. As a teacher and a human being in the 20s dating pool, I've had good cause for concern.

I'm not allowed to discuss religion at school, but I hear the things my students say about it. Things like, "yeah, I go to church, it's where I take my best naps." Or things like, "I wanna find a new religion, I think I'll pick buddhism because it's chill." As if the road to discovering God is something that can be picked out like a new outfit.

Finding religion is a journey, one that takes research, reading and soul searching. And one reason I fear for Christianity's future is because being a faithful Christian takes time, heart and dedication. And in today's world of tech-obsessed instant gratification - people are asking, "what can God do for me?" Instead of "what can I do for God?" 

Teens and young adults are leaving the church in groves and it should be a cause for concern in our community. Complacency has become common place; and rather than be on fire for Christ, or cold against religion, people trudge into church each Sunday like zombies. And it's scary.

15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 

Perhaps one of the most terrifying realities is that children who were raised in the church are deciding to leave Christianity all together because they "feel no connection to it," yet few make a real effort to connect to it. 

So many people go into church on Sunday, and on Monday, return to behaviors or revert to actions that they certainly don't reflect well on Christianity.

We have a bad rep, and it's no wonder. I've had people say to me, "it's so nice that you don't shove your religion on others." And I don't. Jesus died just as much for you as He did for me, and I'm certainly not one to pass judgement on anyone for their views or beliefs. But I do have a desperate desire for people to see Christ and experience God's love.

Jesus was, and is, and always will be the only human being to rise from the dead. He wasn't chosen or created by people, he was delivered by God. And now…in 2015…people put "Christian" down on their dating profiles, and half the time, it doesn't even mean anything to them. It seems to carry as much weight as their preference for Italian food or their propensity for exercising on Tuesdays.

And I feel like I'm an endangered animal or something. You know that song from the 90s, "Where have all the cowboys gone?" Well I feel like it's "Where have all the Christians gone?" 

The important things in life have been replaced with physical items and the crucial conversations have melted to silence and glazed over stares at the TV. 

So what can we do? What can we do to show God's love and make people examine their relationship with religion? 

We can exhibit God's love - making sure that our words and actions are in line with our faith. We can gently, rather than harshly, share our views - but we have to be knowledgeable enough to back it up. We can encourage our friends, family and children to not lose sight of their faith. 

Our society may not put very much emphasis on the importance of religion - but you can. You have the power to shape the perception of religion in those around you, in your community, in your city, in your country. 

God's son died for you, maybe it's time to start living for Him. 


 

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