You Lost Me: Why Young Christians Are Leaving Church...and Rethinking Faith - Hardcover

Kinnaman, David; Hawkins, Aly

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0801013143 ISBN 13: 9780801013140

Publisher: Baker Books, 2011

Synopsis

Close to 60 percent of young people who went to church as teens drop out after high school. Now the bestselling author of unChristian trains his researcher's eye on these young believers. Where Kinnaman's first book unChristian showed the world what outsiders aged 16-29 think of Christianity, You Lost Me shows why younger Christians aged 16-29 are leaving the church and rethinking their faith.

Based on new research, You Lost Me shows pastors, church leaders, and parents how we have failed to equip young people to live "in but not of" the world and how this has serious long-term consequences. More importantly, Kinnaman offers ideas on how to help young people develop and maintain a vibrant faith that they embrace over a lifetime.

About this title

From the Inside Flap:

More than half of all Christian teens and twentysomethings leave active involvement in church.

David Kinnaman trains his researcher's eye on these young believers and reveals the factors that contribute to the dropout problem. You Lost Me shows why Christians ages 18 to 29 are leaving the church and rethinking their commitment to the faith.

Based on new research conducted by the Barna Group, You Lost Me exposes ways the Christian community has failed to equip young adults to live "in but not of" the world--to follow Christ in the midst of profound cultural change. This wide-ranging study debunks persistent myths about young dropouts and examines the likely consequences for young adults and for the church if we maintain the status quo.

The faith journeys of the next generation are a challenge to the established church, but they can also be a source of hope for the community of faith. Kinnaman, with the help of contributors from across the Christian spectrum, offers ideas for pastors, youth leaders, parents, and educators to pass on a vibrant, lasting faith, and ideas for young adults to find themselves in wholehearted pursuit of Christ.|David Kinnaman is coauthor of the bestselling unChristian. He is president and majority owner of the Barna Group, a private, non-partisan research and resource company located in Ventura, California. In Kinnaman's sixteen years at the firm, he has supervised more than 350,000 interviews for client projects and nationwide studies among American adults, teenagers, tweens, and clergy on matters of faith, spirituality, political attitudes, and social dynamics. Barna Group's body of research is often quoted in major media outlets and from pulpits. David frequently speaks on topics of cultural change, young adults, teenagers, vocation and calling, leadership, and generations. He and Jill, his wife, have three children and live in California.

Share your story, engage further:
www.youlostmebook.org

Learn more about the research:
www.barna.org

Follow the author on Twitter:
@davidkinnaman

From the Back Cover:

Is the church losing the next generation?

Millions of young Christians are disconnecting from church as they transition into adulthood. They're real people, not just statistics. And each one has a story to tell.

"I knew from church that I couldn't believe in both science and God, so that was it. I didn't believe in God anymore."--Mike

"When I write a song that's not used in a way that every Christian agrees on, I get hammered. What am I supposed to be using my talents for?"--Sam

"I felt like I had been punched in the stomach . . . I remember thinking on the way home, My non-Christian friends would never do that to me."--Sarah

"It just feels like the church's teaching on sexuality is behind the times."--Dennis

Now the bestselling coauthor of unChristian reveals the long-awaited results of a new nationwide study of 18- to 29-year-olds with a Christian background. Discover why so many are disengaging from the faith community, renew your hope for how God is at work in the next generation--and find out how you can join in.

Includes ideas for passing on a flourishing, deep-rooted faith from:

Jon Acuff
Francis Chan
Shane Claiborne
Kenda Creasy Dean
Joshua DuBois
Donna Freitas
Steven Garber
Sara Groves
Gabe Lyons
Sean McDowell
Scot McKnight
Jedd Medefind
Britt Merrick
Walt Mueller
John Ortberg
Charlie Peacock
Kara Powell
Mark Regnerus
Richard Stearns
John Stonestreet
And many more

About this edition

• Publisher: Baker Books
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 0801013143
• ISBN 13: 9780801013140
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 256