30 Quotes From 2 Unchurched People After Attending A Recent Church Service

Are you excited about the next generation?  When I look at young people who are 15-28 years old, I think they have unlimited passion, energy, vision, and potential.  Recently, I took my 16 and 20 yr old nieces to a church in the Atlanta area.  Here is their profile:

• Both students, high school and college.
• They come from a broken home.
• Highly intelligent and personable.
• Beautiful girls with potentially very bright futures.
• Except for some minimal exposure, zero church background.

I recently interviewed them to get their unfiltered thoughts on the experience.  After reading these comments, pastors and church leaders I have two questions for you – How prepared is your church to reach young people like this and how would you do it?

I asked them what they were feeling when we invited them to church as well as their feelings leading up to the actual service?

1. They were excited to be going “because it was with us”. 
2. “It was a music thing.”  They had heard about worship leader.  Relationships were nice but they were excited to be hearing him. 
3. They thought it would be “similar to a high school ministry” they went to called Relevate with trendy music and high energy.
4. They were concerned about how was this going to conflict with the Bo Burnham comedy concert they already had scheduled later that evening.  “Burnham discusses sex, his sex life, churches, and Catholic life with great irony and vulgarity.  He is an atheist.”  
5. They were not nervous about going to church but very excited.  “Church is not something to be nervous about.” 
6. They “were comfortable because kids their age were going to be there.” 
7. My youngest niece is never nervous about going to church “because of what she believes.  Also, no one there is going to find out what she believes.”

The service.  We arrive 45 minutes early to get a good seat.  I wanted their thoughts about the 45 minutes prior to the service as well as the service itself.

1. There was a huge line of 200-250 to get in.  This is “normal for concerts of talented people.  We would have been taken aback if it was just a church service.”
2. They will know “in the first 5-10 minutes if they will love it.”  
3. They noticed “how many white people were there.” 
4. They were “impressed with the turnout.” 
5. It was also noticeable “how nice people were when they went to the bathroom.”
6. “The music was basically what they were expecting.”   
7. “It was short and sweet getting into the music.”  Let me interpret this – little to no announcements.
8. “Everyone was really into it.  Words on the screen was good.  Music was catchy and really broad which fit the audience.”
9. They remembered the sermon title but were confused about the illustrations and felt “the pastor was making fun of the entire religion”.  
10. They liked the pastor.  “He was cool and someone you could open up to.  But at the same time he strayed.”
11. What he was saying didn’t connect with the youngest.  “You shouldn’t take what people say as fact.”  They didn’t want to hear the story of God but are interested in how God thinks you should treat other people.  
12. “Religion is a more personal thing but church is a social place.” 
13. They didn’t agree “with the fact that everyone thinks what the preacher says is true.” 
14. The youngest didn’t agree with something he said so she verbally protested during the service (at a vocal level where only those around her heard it).  They would walk out if it was something they completely disagreed with.  One “would make a scene” while the other wouldn’t.
15. “There is truth is something everyone says.  If you’re living for something that you feel, there must be truth in there somewhere.”

Thoughts Afterward – They attended both a high-energy worship service and a comedy act by an atheist within four hours.  I was interested in the comparisons.

1. The youngest was starstruck because she met Burnham.  The oldest said “You can get a dose of God but then you can go to someone else to realize what you just saw.”
2. Relationships and a new experience was why they went.  They were willing to investigate “to see what all the buzz is about”. 
3. They knew the church would be a “safe situation”.  The oldest likes to go to see how “crowds react to big things”.
4. The youngest watches things, specifically “body language”. 
5. They like to see how secure other people are in what they believe.  A girl “next to her was writing down everything.  This was strange”.
6. Everytime she goes to church it “furthers her beliefs in that she doesn’t like church.  Religion is a more personal thing.”  Everytime she goes to a church “she will find something she doesn’t like but it makes her broaden her beliefs.” 
7. “Music helps further the knot.”
8. One disagreed with the lyrics.  The other thinks “music is an emotional thing and ties people to God.  Music makes them feel closer to those around them.”

So I ask again, Pastors and church leaders – Are you prepared to reach young people like this and how would you do it?

To receive future posts automatically, simply subscribe or click here