A few days ago, I shared some stats that that I was able to hear the pastor of my Church talk about a few weeks ago, as alarming as I found them, I also thought they were pretty interesting because I was once in the 78% that didn't really attend Church or care to for that matter. If you didn't read the Blog entry (check it out). With that said, I will give you a quick refresh on what it was about. There has been data compiled from a survey of four schools–namely, the local high school district’s outgoing four senior classes. The survey revealed that of 40 qualities which represent basic overall personal health, only one finished in a distant dead last. 22% said they possessed this quality: only 22% of our seniors claimed to invest a minimum one hour of time in organized religious activity each week.
When I blogged about this only a few days ago, I was asked a ton of questions and had a bunch of calls from friends who saw the blog posting, “22%...”(It was kind of crazy because I didn't think any of them really cared). They all basically said or asked the thing... “That’s crazy” or ”That number seems off a little”... I heard things like, "wow, everyone out your way (Mokena, Frankfort, Orland,etc...) have good jobs (and typically work M-F), everyone I know out there makes a good living, in that kind of community it would seem that everyone goes to Church regularly".
You know though, the funny thing was that the calls I got from my friends from the "old neighborhood" all knew the facts about that Church attendance dying off... the reason was because almost all of those kids actually go to Church, I wasn't telling them anything they didn't already know.
Those conversations were eerily close to what our parents say (or our grandparents... yikes, we are getting old) all the time. Here is what one of the conversations sounded like... "America is going down the tubes", "These young kids are so screwed up", "What has happened to our country".
My question though was ”What are the parents doing that the kids don't go to Church?”
Then it dawned on me... wait, I didn't go to Church when I was in high school, my parents were awesome and it defiantly wasn't there fault (lets be honest @18 what kid listens to everything their parents say or think? We knew it all back then didn't we? Really, we were rebelling and forming our own opinions and values).
It didn't hit me until now but, its almost like we are all just reliving or parents lives...lol (which for some of us, isn't really a bad thing)
Now, as I did in the 22%... Blog, I referenced Morlans blog (Our Pastor, because he did such a good job on it) and I am going to again. Here is what he says... it's not about not the 22% that actually go to Church but, the 78% that don't:
Read On...
"If you knew me well, you’d know that I wouldn’t share results like that to act like “a voice crying in the wilderness” decrying the end of the world…the end of America…or the moral decline of our beloved Lincoln-Way community. Lots of times, religious folk can work one another into a frenzy about how bad things in America have become or are becoming. Stats like 22% get them even more frazzled. But, truthfully, the article about the 22% wasn’t a message for the hand-wringers among the 22% who go to church. It was for the 78% who don’t.So, here’s my second attempt.
“Ah-hem.” [Tap the mike to see if it's on.]
“Hello, 78%. Ummmmm, hi. Yes, the church-goers have left the building, so we can speak honestly without feeling judged or worrying that we’re going to get somebody upset. So…let’s just say it. You’re the ones who don’t ever go to church. Yes, there are a bunch of church jokes with you all as punchlines. And, no, I’m not worried that the roof will cave in or that hell will freeze over because you’re here.
“Actually, though I’m a pastor, you might expect me to judge you or get down on you because you’re a ‘Creaster,’ a serial ‘skipper’, unchurched, de-churched, or a skeptic. But that’s not the way I tick or the way I believe. First thing: I love you. Yes, I love you. If I weren’t so into what I believe, trust me, I’d be where you are each Sunday…some place else. I get that you see church as boring, obsolete, judgmental (yes, ironically filled with hypocrites), dusty, or annoying. I know, I know. Me, too. It’s why I got out. I stopped being religious and started a church.
“78%, even though we’re on opposite sides of this number, I’m on your side. So much so, I’ve got to let you know something. You’re missing something important. Like veggies and oxygen important…but more even. There’s something here that’s good for your soul that you can’t find anywhere else. No, we don’t think we own God or that we have Him caged in our building. Quite the opposite: He is unleashed here. You need to be around people who are experiencing this. I dare you to come. Four Sundays in a row so you get a good, fair taste. I dare you to talk to somebody or sing a song or listen to the words or follow through on what the pastor suggested. And see what happens. I bet you won’t be in the 78% anymore."
“Ahem.” [Long pause.] “And thus concludes the beginning"
Out...Cundiff
Hello all, I wanted to quickly follow up on this entry, the reason? Well, I would have been one of those Seniors that had Church last on my list (when I was a senior). I was one of the 78% in the community that had absolutely zero interest in really ever going to Church, simply because I never got anything out of it or understood it to be honest. It was always the same… sit, stand, sit, stand, sing, knee, communion, leave. Being in that 78% though, I felt somthing was missing in my life. I decided to give church another shot after I started a family, to try something different, to attend Church with my wife and child, and to decide if it was worth the measly hour of time on Sunday…
ReplyDeleteI started going to Church consistently a little over a year ago… Wow, it has been worth every second. Not only do I now go to church, I also participate in a few Church functions and actually try to live a better lifestyle (something we all probably need to work on). With all that said, I also participate in many positive groups settings on weekly basis (outside of church), none of them really measure up to the experience of Church on Sunday though. I would agree with Morlan here, I think most people would/do benefit from giving Church a real shot, not just going through the motions, or showing up because they think they have to, or even doing it because it’s what has been ingrained into most of us to do.
I agree that ”You need to be around people who are experiencing God, that you must give Church a real chance to get a good, fair taste (at least for me it did).
I agree that when you to talk to somebody, or sing a song, or listen to the words, or follow through on what the pastor suggested, it leads you to something more than just a positive or negative experience. It leads to somthing that I cant really put into words other than to say… it leads to streagnthening your relationship with God.
See I was once in that 78%, I’m not anymore!
God Bless:)