Authors of a new book claim the breakdown of the family is the single most prevalent reason so many evangelicals have left their faith behind.
“I’ve got to say this as a pastor, as a researcher, as an educator, as just a Christian who cares: the single greatest contributor to the attrition rate [of the Christian faith] has been the breakdown of the family,” Alex McFarland, author of “Abandoned Faith: Why Millennials Are Walking Away and How You Can Lead Them Home,” told The Christian Post.
And on the Millennial front, his co-author, Jason Jimenez, said that when he dug deeper into some of the causal factors surrounding youths’ decision to leave their faith behind, he heard stories of difficult childhoods and homes in which Christian parents didn’t live out their faith, the outlet reported.
“I could see now why they questioned God, His nature, and His unconditional love,” Jimenez writes in “Abandoned Faith.” “If what their parents believed was true, why didn’t they live it? If God is so loving, why didn’t their parents show that same love to each other?”
A description of “Abandoned Faith” reads:
Millennials (those born between 1980 and 2000) constitute a group of over 80 million individuals who are technologically astute, ethnically diverse, and culturally and vibrantly engaged. Yet they face high unemployment and massive debt, and they comprise the largest number of religiously unaffiliated individuals in American history. Concerned by these and other hard-hitting facts, experts Alex McFarland and Jason Jimenez have created a book that interviews top Christian leaders who work with Millennials and families. Their research and conversations will shed new light on what Christian parents must do to reach their young adult children. This book offers a strong voice of hope for parents, church leaders, and others who serve the Millennial generation.
While many people waste little time critiquing Millennials, McFarland did tell The Christian Post that the generation has a “heart to serve others,” noting that it’s often easy to engage young people in missions activities, among other outreach efforts. But when it comes to deeper faith, there might be somewhat of a disconnect for some, he said.
“It’s almost as if (they believe) God is a benign therapist and He exists to enhance my life experience but He certainly wouldn’t interfere with my life,” he said.
It’s no secret that Millennials are less religious than members of previous generations, with polls finding that they are less devout and less likely to adhere to a specific faith or religion. Read more about this issue here.
(H/T: Christian Post)
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