Book Report: You Lost Me

Recently read You Lost Me which details the 18-29 year old generation and their rather quick exit of church once they leave home. When I was a youth pastor, there were other books written about this trend and the truth is Christiantiy is always one generation away from extinction. The assumption within churches though was people who left the church during 18-29 year old time period came back in their 30s, presumably after marrying and having kids. The data though says that both events- marriage and kids are happening later in life, if at all. Couple this with some of the findings from an earlier book by the same author called unChristian which details the prevailing negative view that churches have in those who don't attend, and it sets up for a rather bleak picture.

Some takeaways (reading this on my Kindle prevents me from being able to cite a page number!):

• Most young Christians are struggling less with their faith in Christ than with their experience of church.





• Can the Christian community summon the courage to prepare a new generation of professionals to be excellent in their calling and craft, yet humble and faithful where God has asked them to serve?





• Your children are going to break your heart. Somehow. Somewhere. Maybe more than once. To become a parent is to promise you’ll love prodigals.





• A culture of skepticism is a culture of questions, and questions lead to conversations, relationships, and truth.





• Young Christians (and former Christians too) say the church is not a place that allows them to express doubts. They do not feel safe admitting that faith doesn’t always make sense. In addition, many feel that the church’s response to doubt is trivial and fact focused, as if people can be talked out of doubting. How can the Christian community help this generation face their doubts squarely and integrate their questions into a robust life of faith?





• I believe the Christian community has failed to disciple its science-inclined students to become responsible, intelligent, capable, resourceful, and faithful followers of Christ. We need to do a better job of stewarding the intellect of this generation.

There's much more that I found interesting, but that would mean a longer post! This book is great for parents, church leaders, youth workers, and really anyone who have a realtionship with this generation (and that ought to be all of us!). The book is hoping people who follow Christ will take the necessary risks and be able to artfully disciple and encourage this generation.