picture: guy lyons, LIfeWay
The generation called Millenials (18-29 year olds) today claim they are more spiritual, and less religious. Sounds like it might be good. But then dig a little deeper into what “spiritual” and “religious” mean. LifeWay has conducted a broad survey of Millenials and their religious life. LifeWay estimates that 85% of Millenials do not know Christ in a living way. That is a staggering number.
In addition, there are a few other striking stats that’ll sober you right up and give a little perspective about this generation:
Six out of 10 say their religious faith is very important in their lives today
Sounds promising, right? That is until you get to the part where even among people who believe they are going to heaven because they have accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour:
68% did not mention faith, religion or spirituality when asked what was “really important in life.
Well, that doesn’t account for how they are really living out their Christian lives, right?
Two-thirds of American “Millennials” – those born between 1980 and 1991 – call themselves Christian, but far fewer pray or read the Bible daily, attend weekly worship services, or hold to historical positions on the Bible and its teachings.
Still, I don’t think this is as bad as it sounds. Or maybe it’s worse. Mainly, this means that Millenials, at least those that are Christian will want more reality in their walk with Christ and less filler. Says Thom Rainer, Pres&CEO of LifeWay:
Millennial Christians will not settle for business as usual in our churches. They will not be content with going through the motions, programs without a purpose, and spectator Christianity. They take their faith seriously, and they have little patience with churches that focus most of their resources on the members. These Millennials are serious about taking the gospel to the nations and to their communities.In the midst of all the bad news, there is good news. Radical commitment from radical Christians. If a few Christians turned the world upside down in the first century, we have no reason to doubt that a few million can do it again in the twenty-first century.
In any case, I think it is clear that the Lord desires to move in a fresh and powerful way in this generation of Millenials.
The question is how did we get here, and the answer is sought after in a related article on CNN asks the question, “Are there dangers to being spiritual, but not religious?”
spiritual, not religious
One voice that resonates with many in the “more spiritual, less religious”:
Nazli Ekim, who works in public relations in New York City, says calling herself spiritual instead of religious is her way of taking responsibility for herself.
Ekim was born in a Muslim family and raised in Istanbul, Turkey. She prayed to Allah every night, until she was 13 and had to take religion classes in high school.Then one day, she says she had to take charge of her own beliefs.
“I had this revelation that I bow to no one, and I’ve been spiritually a much happier person,” says Ekim, who describers herself now as a Taoist, a religious practice from ancient China that emphasizes the unity of humanity and the universe.
Jesuit priest, James Martin says the answer boils down to egotism.
“Religion is hard,” he says. “Sometimes it’s just too much work. People don’t feel like it. I have better things to do with my time. It’s plain old laziness.”
Sources: Dana, Sammy.
USA Today article covering the report.
Two good summaries of the LifeWay findings by Thom Rainer and Ed Stetzer.
