It is Sunday and you walk in church. A three-piece rock band is set up and softly plays uptempo music in the background. People tap their feet, enjoying the songs, but may not make the connection to their church service.
Fresh coffee from a top-name chain coffee shop is brewed for everyone. Perhaps they even have a pop-up stand outside the church. “Attend 12 Sundays in a row and receive a free salted caramel latte,” a punch-card reads.
People have their phones out because technology is a focal point of the sermon, and the religious groups and the church use social media as a way to to engage parishioners. Flyers in the corridor publicize the next big giveaway at the end of the month. This time, they are going to give out iPods.
There’s a reason for all of this flash. Within the last two decades, young people are drifting away from religion. According to a March 2013 poll from UC-Berkeley and Duke University, 59-percent of 18-29-year-olds with Christian backgrounds have dropped out of their congregation. This same trend holds true for the younger millennials and now members of Generation Z. Their reasons for desertion may run the gamut: laziness, career interference, college, or their church’s stance on certain issues. But to combat young people’s backsliding, churches have recently adapted a new approach: make church “cool” so that the young people stay.
However, the proof is in the pews. All of the glitz and glam only turns away young people. Statistically, millennials and Generation Z youngsters are more infatuated with elements of the past rather than the present or future. Vintage is in, and church services are not exempt. In a November 2014 poll from Barna Group and the Cornerstone Knowledge Network, 67-percent of millennials prefer a “classic” church over a “trendy” one, and 77-percent would choose a “sanctuary” over an “auditorium.” These results include preference of Renaissance-style stained-glass windows and European-style architecture over contemporary architecture.
Today’s youth isn’t at all surprised by the survey results. To them, it makes sense.
“Our generation fears the future because of the way things are going. Things have gone so downhill since the mid-1950s, and things keep getting worse and worse. A lot of the kids who see that want to look back at the past and want to return back to a time that wasn’t so hectic, rather than look to the future and have all this cool tech-y stuff because they see where it’s going and they don’t like it,” sophomore Bianca Stavrakakes said.
Most young people say that they do not go to church for the brewing coffee, rock music, tweeting about their church, or even the publicizing for giveaways like iPods. In today’s world, young people are searching for a deeper meaning in life.
“I feel like church is supposed to be about God. If I go to Church, I want to hear about God, not listen to some old guy who swings in from a vine,” sophomore Claire Kalinowski said.
And the interest in the traditional over the flashy even trickles into the music. Many young people prefer classical-style music over the new-aged hymns that came along with Vatican II.
“Music sets the mood. People lose sight that it’s not supposed to be like going out and playing on a playground,” sophomore Erica Campos said.
At Noll’s last student Mass of the school year, junior Hailey DeWolf and sophomore Amelia Chavez sang a rendition of “Pie Jesu” by Andrew Lloyd Webber that moved the student body to applause.
“The Church is based off of Latin, so we want to go back to its roots,” said sophomore Raleigh Vis.
Sophomore Laura Coss, who prefers antiquated hymns over rock bands that perform at Church, agrees.
“When you hear or see rock bands, they’re usually promoting the opposite, and people might make that connection when hearing them in Church,” she said.
But that isn’t to say that young people don’t want excitement in their religious services. Church is supposed to be that deeper meaning. It is supposed to help them understand who they are as a person and help them grow in a relationship with God. It is supposed to build that connection.
“When people make connections with each other, they start to realize they’re not alone in their struggles,” said Bishop Noll campus minister Mr. Dan Masterton. “And those bonds help people plug in more deeply to journaling, personal prayer, and even Mass. Community can strengthen all of our faith and worship.”
Within the United States, 70-percent of young people claim that they have dropped out of church. Six in 10 people in your church community now will ultimately leave the church. It is estimated that people begin to leave church at the young age of 15. This makes the churches ask the simple question, “why?”. “Why are so many young people leaving church, when we make it so ‘cool’?” And this may be the problem.
Statistically, there are four factors why young people between the ages between 15 to 18 still attend church. None of these factors contain the church handing out cool little devices or having coffee ready for everyone. These factors are about how the person connected with church spiritually and emotionally. These factors are that people want church to help guide them in decisions everyday; the second was where their parents were married in the church and were Christians; thirdly, the homilies or sermons connected with the young person’s life; and lastly an adult helped the young person significantly, putting time and effort into that person, changing their output on life and God. These are ways connections are created. But it seems like churches are having problems building those connections.
Masterton explains that the best way to connect to young people is to listen to them. “A lot of times, even when young people have lots of questions, they don’t necessarily want answers or solutions. They want someone to listen to them, so they can simply be heard.”
For those who believe that church altogether is too boring, Masterton says, “People forget that you get out of something what you put into it. Would you expect to give a good performance in the musical and have great stories and memories without having gone to any rehearsals? Would you expect to win State in a sport and become part of a team family without ever practicing?”
Masterton believes that one must look deep within the church service.
“People think they can go to Mass, pay no attention, and not do any responses or singing, and that Mass will have an impact on them,” he said.
So how long will this trend go on before Churches begin to realize they aren’t enticing their congregation?
According to Masterton, not long.
“The Christian services that rely on flashy technology, trendy logos, and giveaways won’t last,” he said. “People may show up, enjoy themselves, and even come back a little. But it’s unlikely that any of that will nourish their spirit or draw them to be regulars.”
As for the Christian youth, they’d like Generation X to step up and realize this fad of using technology, modern music and more as just a passing fancy.
“Our generation has grown up with technology and it’s not something cool to us because we’re used to it and use it every day,” Coss said.
One can only hope that churches will wake up and see what Generation Z really wants.