Home Children's Ministry Leaders Articles for Children's Ministry Leaders Why Millennial Parents Are Exiting the Church

Why Millennial Parents Are Exiting the Church

  • Set up serving opportunities where small groups can serve together.

Provide them with a safe place to discuss controversial issues. Our culture is engulfed in issues like gay marriage, transgender, abortion, etc. Millennials need a safe place where they can talk through these issues.

Practical steps to take:

  • Create environments where Millennials can ask questions about these issues.
  • Provide mentors for Millennials who can bring wisdom and guidance to the table.
  • Remember tolerance is a big value of Millennials. Talk with them, but don’t argue with them, about controversial issues. Relationship is how you will influence them.

It’s time churches face the fact that, for the most part, we’re not keeping Millennials and their children engaged in our churches. Unless we make changes, there are going to be lots of empty seats in our churches where Millennials should be sitting. Unless we adjust what we’re doing, our nursery, preschool and elementary ministries at our churches will continue to plateau and even shrink. Wake up! Look around! We have to reach the Millennial parents in our communities or we will face extinction.

I want to encourage you to talk through the points listed above with your team. Have some honest, no-holds-barred conversations about this. Be willing to let go of the past and change what is not working. It can be done. I was at a church a few weeks ago that was brimming with Millennial parents and their children. It can still be done, if you’re willing to adjust as needed.

The hope for the world is the church. And the hope for the church is to pass along our faith to the generations following us.

Your turn. The floor is yours. Are you seeing fewer Millennials and their children in your church?

This article originally appeared here.