Has the church turned a corner in reaching the next generation for the gospel?
According to a recent LifeWay Research report, pastors are eager to reach the next generation for Christ and grow and disciple their congregations, with 4 out of 10 saying that reaching that goal is a top concern.
The same survey found 79 percent of pastors saying weekly worship attendance at their churches will increase in the next five years. But looking at the last five years, only 36 percent of pastors say worship attendance growth increased, while two-thirds say attendance stayed the same or declined (27 percent decreased; 37 percent stayed the same).
So is it just wishful thinking to expect that a large number of millennials and Generation Z will be evangelized and will join a local church?
A few years ago, John Sorensen, president of Evangelism Explosion, interviewed Jon Nielson, a college pastor at College Church in Wheaton, on the topic, “What keeps young adults in church?”
Nielson said that there are three primary factors:
- Are they truly converted?
- Have they been equipped, not entertained?
- Have their parents preached the gospel to them?
It was truly a fascinating discussion on a pivotal issue that impacts all of us, because it only takes one generation for a church to die. To watch the entire interview, click here.
To hear more insights from John Sorensen about sharing the good news, visit ShareLife.Today or listen to his daily radio feature, Share Life Today, now airing on nearly 500 radio stations.
If you are attending Proclaim 19 in Anaheim and would like to schedule a time to meet with John, let me know! We appreciate all of our station and ministry partners.
