Traditional churches today are facing a worrying trend. This is best summarized in a statement made by Mathew Mathews, a senior research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies, to the Straits Times, “Among young people who go to church, conservatively, at least half drop out.” I decided to choose this topic because my relatively conservative Presbyterian Church currently faces this problem. In conversation, I have discovered a similar trend amongst a few other Presbyterian churches as well. In my church, these leavers range from 15 years old to their early 20s, for a variety of reasons.
The Megachurch phenomenon has taken root over the past decade, and drastically extended its influence on the religious scene in Singapore. These megachurches are categorized as having a charismatic senior pastor as the face of the church, inspirational preaching, rock-concert style of worship, and the extensive use of contemporary media for outreach efforts.
These traits create a worship experience that is first class, intense and emotional. Sermons are uplifting, providing worshippers with a sense of empowerment to achieve an abundant materialistic life on earth. For the undiscerning youth in a conservative denominational church, such an environment is a much attractive place to be in on Sundays; He can be part of a big social community, motivated to achieve his dreams, and fulfill his obligation to ‘go to church’ at the same time.
While the prosperity gospel has its drawbacks, apathetic youths previously at my church may grow spiritually to an extent because the sermons are now in English. The sensory worship experience may prompt them to come closer to God as well through helping them ‘feel’ God, assuming a proper choice of worship songs, as opposed to blindly singing in their old Chinese Presbyterian church. While figures from the megachurches show that transfers make up only 10-20%, the growth in numbers for megachurches is exponential. Although this may seem small, for much smaller sized traditional churches with attendance of 60-100, this is a significant drop in their numbers.
For the older group, it is for a different reason. With a host of information and articles online for people to share their views, social issues today are amplified louder than ever. Young adults today are increasingly involved in developing their own views, and challenging the basis of their faith that they have been brought up to believe in. Young adults are seeking deeper spiritual growth through refreshing sermons which shed light on new perspectives and illicit questions on theology we always took for granted, rather than the same old message we have heard since young.
Young adults today also seek answers to questions like ‘Why can’t I see God’s presence in my life?’ ‘What is the church’s stand towards homosexuality?’ ‘How can I prove to my friends that God is real?’ Apart from these questions, young adults also seek to find the relevance of scripture to their daily lives. As such, many of them, out of spiritual drought, leave the church in search of greener pastures. A number of them have moved to more charismatic churches, where the sermons preached do directly address their life problems and help them to make decisions.
The thing with both these reasons, is that we are too enclosed within the bubble which we call church. Church is just about me and God, what God can do for me, and how relevant the sermon is for me. Personal growth is of utmost importance, and so is how the gospel can help me solve my obstacles as I go on to run my rat race.
For many youths, especially the younger ones, church is a Sunday affair where we come to church and learn all the things we should do, but leave church trapped in our old routines. We speak boldly about evangelism in church, about reaching out to the desperate and helpless. But many still cannot find courage to share the gospel with their friends even when the opportunity presents itself. We still don’t want to be That One who actively befriends the outcast at school and reaches out to her. But that is really just how we are as weak, sinful and fallen humans. The church isn’t responsible for giving us a new breath or transforming our lives. That’s God’s job. Rather moving forward, what I feel the church can do is to support the continual renewal process of the lives of our youth through exposure and empowerment.
Through STEP I have been made aware of how youths in my church need to break out of the idea that serving the church only means grooming leaders to serve the next batch of youths, or to serve the congregation; Jesus ministry didn’t simply target and serve church goers. What Jesus did was to walk the streets and impact the lives of the sick, the poor, the hungry, and the lost.
Joseph Koh, sociologist and founder of the website selah.sg states in his recent entry on ‘Bored with Christianity’, that “In the caverns of the soul, every youth searches for significance, like wells that are meant to be filled. Their boundless energy waits to be called upon and channelled into something bigger,” “When empowered, I have no doubt that youths will uninhibitedly ‘go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation’ (Mark 16:15 ESV).”
Exposing our youths to the people who desperately need God will radically change their views towards ministry and put their own lives into perspective, allowing for personal spiritual growth, evangelism, and empowerment to address social issues.
To do this, I suggest that youth groups can form partnerships with the various Christian VWOs, such as AG Home, Onesimus Farm, Healthserve and Tamar Village to name a few. The main youth groups in our church would be the various fellowship groups, 温柔，信实，喜乐Z.
At present, all are not involved in any recurrent social service projects. What we usually have is a one-off ‘CIP’ event such as Christmas Carnivals for PCS schoolchildren, or helping out at Sarah Home once in a blue moon. However, we have 康乐 once a month instead for bonding purposes, where we go outdoors to kayak/play sports/play pool.
Thus I suggest that instead of purely going out for leisure activities, these youth groups can consider volunteering at these VWOs on a recurrent basis. For example, 康乐 can be volunteering for two months, and for leisure on the following month. Other youths not in these fellowships groups will also be encouraged to join in, and youths participating in these activities will be encouraged to continue in their own time.
Volunteering at these VWOs not only achieves the purpose of bonding, but also forces youths to reconsider the boundaries of ministry and put their own lives into perspective in relation to their beneficiaries’. Such spiritual involvement in a body bigger than themselves allows them to hold a stake in the church, and think of questions like how they can serve others through the body of Christ, rather than how the church can serve and cater to their own needs.
As Joseph Koh aptly summarises it, “Christian youths ought to be challenged from the comfort of the pews and into the chaos into the streets.” Perhaps through this can the youth realize what it means to be the salt and light of the world, and through God’s empowerment use their gifts to leave a mark on society.
Courtney Lim
STEP 2015
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