You and I are living in a time where future trends of the church, particularly its youth ministries, seem dire per the statistics below.
But there is great hope and opportunity! As leaders in our churches, we can recognize that God is at work in us and there is great potential for our next generation if we move quickly. I hope this encourages you, if you’re feeling that youth are abandoning Christianity because it has failed them.
The Great Opportunity: The American Church in 2050 report addresses the following opportunities:
- Starting New Churches
- Mission for Youth
- Reaching New Audiences
- Care for the Poor
- Building Long-term Witness
- Counting the Cost
Nothing can thwart God’s love or His plans!
Josh D. McDowell
PS I would love to know what you think after reading The Great Opportunity. Send me an email here.
The Great Opportunity: The American Church in 2050
… is a report on the millennial attributes toward religions”
“Pinetops Foundation…and The Veritas Forum … co-sponsored the report.”
“Christianity in America will make up just 59 percent of the country’s population by 2050, compared to 73 percent today.”
“… “best case” indicates that the population of the religiously unaffiliated will double to 30 percent of the total population in 2050.”
“…worst-case scenario…as many as 42 million people raised in Christian homes will disaffiliate from Christianity by 2050.”
“…a “better-case scenario,” the report estimates that 26 million people raised in Christian families will disaffiliate by 2050.”
“It is the largest and fastest numerical shift in religious affiliation in the history of this country…”
“…in the most optimistic scenarios…over 1 million youth at least nominally in the church today will choose to leave each year for the next three decades. 35 million youth raised in families that call themselves Christians will say that they are not by 2050.”
“At least 215,000 churches will need to be planted by 2050 just to maintain the status quo.”
(Samuel Smith, “Report projects 35 million youth to leave Christianity by 2050; Greg Stier responds,” The Christian Post, September 24, 2019)
EN