Young people sitting in church; depicting why young people leave the church | Photo by cottonbro studio
Do young people go to church? Apparently, they don’t nowadays.
Why?
Church attendance among young people has been declining. Many of them walk away because they feel disconnected from the church itself. It’s not because they reject faith, but because of the church’s internal conflicts, rigid traditions, and a lack of genuine community.
Based on research, church engagement drops by 43% between the teenage years and early adulthood (Kinnaman, 2011, p. 22)1. This staggering drop-off suggests that many young people do not see the church as a lasting part of their lives. While they may attend out of habit or parental influence during their teens, something shifts as they enter adulthood, which could be the reason why young people leave the church.
A book about developing a Christian ministry—“Behave as a Church” by Dr. Christopher Powers—addresses this struggle. In his book, Dr. Powers argues that the real crisis exists within the church. He has witnessed church leaders arguing over trivial matters that fail to address the deeper spiritual needs of their congregation. All these while thousands of young souls are slipping away. Instead of focusing on Christ’s mission, many churches become consumed by politics, control, and status. With that in mind, what really pushes young believers further from the faith?
Top Reasons Why Young People Leave the Church
The youth is drifting away from the church, but why? In this section, we’ll explore the top 7 reasons young people are choosing to leave the church today.
Petty Conflicts and Church Politics
Dr. Powers reveals to us the problem with superficial faith. Church leaders often engage in trivial arguments that don’t mean anything about the core mission of the Christian faith. This behavior is seen by young people as hypocritical and undermines the church’s credibility. When the church prioritizes insignificant issues over the essential message of Christ, it causes the youth to lose respect for the church and question its authenticity.
Exclusivity and Judgmental Attitudes
One of the heaviest reasons why young people leave the church is that they often feel judged by the church. More often than not, they are judged by their lifestyle choices. Instead of offering the grace of compassion, many churches adopt an exclusive stance that alienates through struggling with personal and societal challenges.
A Lack of Genuine Christian Behavior
Many contemporary churches emphasize rigid rules and hierarchical power structures instead of embodying love, humility, and service—the central tenets of Christianity. Do you see how this approach contradicts the values young believers expect from a faith community? When churches fail to model true Christian behavior, especially in their interactions with others, young people become disillusioned and feel disconnected from the genuine spirit of faith.
Failure to Address Relevant Issues
As a church, it is also our responsibility to assess the myriad of factors influencing the reasons why young people leave the church. Young people today are searching for a church that addresses real-world struggles, such as mental health challenges, social injustice, and ethical dilemmas. Unfortunately, many churches avoid these important conversations. This indifference leaves young people feeling unheard and unvalued.
Rigid Traditions That Feel Outdated
Traditional church services and structures often fail to connect with younger generations. Often, they forget that younger generations desire more engaging and relevant faith experiences. When the church remains stuck in the old days without adapting to contemporary needs, young people feel disconnected. Rigid rituals and outdated customs may often seem irrelevant to young people who seek a faith community that speaks to their modern lives.
A Lack of True Community and Purpose
Dr. Powers highlights a church’s success lies in its ability to foster true community and shared purpose. When churches are more focused on control and maintaining the status quo than on binding genuine relationships, young people begin to feel isolated. This creates a sense of alienation that drives young people to search for a deeper connection elsewhere.
How to Bring Them Back
To bring young people back to the church, we need to refocus on Christ-centered behavior. We need to foster an attitude that focuses on love, humility, and service over internal conflicts. Church leaders should lead by example. It is in their hands to demonstrate faith through action rather than enforcing rules. In order to effectively address the reasons why young people leave the church, we need to encourage open dialogue to allow young people to ask tough questions and express doubts without fear.
Grab a copy of “Behave as a Church” by Dr. Christopher Powers to understand how we can revitalize the church and reconnect with young people. Learn practical insights and powerful guidance on fostering a Christ-centered, united, and engaging church community.
- David Kinnaman, You Lost Me: Why Young Christians Are Leaving Church…and Rethinking Faith (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2011), 22 ↩︎
