Fact: Our Children are Leaving Over the years I have witnessed: –Children who have regularly “gone to church” who are no longer doing so today. –Parents who are heart-broken yet are bewildered as to why.

Haven’t We Tried Diligently? Provide excellent Bible classes/teachers. –Seemingly great curriculum. –Excellent materials/resources. Preached on. –Doctrinal and moral issues. –Being convicted about our walk.

Somehow, we’re possibly missing something, have our priorities out of place, or have a misplaced focus.

To make sense of this “exodus” a survey was done with the following purpose:* – Who was leaving – Why they leaving – What (if anything) could be done about it. *Page 27

The Sample: 1, Yr olds Coast to Coast All from a conservative, evangelical church: attended church weekly (or nearly) growing up but never/seldom today Balanced according to population gender Just over ½ age 25-29; rest yrs.

“Is there any part of the church service that you miss today?”

Of these 1,000 95% regularly attended church during their elementary/middle school yrs. 55% during high school years. 11% during early college years. “Did you attend church regularly during… elementary/ middle school years, high school, throughout your college days?”

When They First Had Doubts 39.8% during Middle School 43.7% during High School 10.6% during College

The Numbers Speak Volumes! 1.Nearly 40% first have doubts during Middle School so that by the time they reach High School only 55% attend church regularly. 2.Nearly 44% first have doubts during High School so that by the time they reach College less than 11% attended church regularly.

What Do These Numbers Mean? We’re NOT losing our children when they leave home… they are “ALREADY GONE”… while home.

“What made you begin to doubt the Bible?”

“Did God Really Say?” Parents aren’t doing much in the way of teaching the fundamentals of the faith to their children. There are only 3 hours of teaching at church services/wk. –And, teachings at church are more stories than events. –Apologetical teaching to our children. Then doubts creep in our children. cp. Gen. 3:2 IF…

This is the Reason… Parents need to diligently teach their children…as soon as possible. Dt. 6:5-9; Eph. 6:4 The primary teaching responsi- bility is NOT in the pulpit nor the Bible Class room.

We Need To Equip Our Children Which means we must first be equipped. We have to be convicted about ALL the Bible… from creation to Revelation. We need to grow in our ability to teach our convictions to our children. 2 Cor. 10:4-5