The Growing Generation of Spectators

The Growing Generation of Spectators

Young people below the age of 25 constitute 54% of the total population. In recent times, many churches have seen a trend where the attendance and participation of Christian young people in the worship services has seen a sharp decline. A few who do show up due to parental or peer pressure, are contended to participate as ‘outstanding spectators’ or in other words who actually just stand outside the church building or in a few cases sit in the last rows ending up looking outside the window. A close observation of the various organizational structures of our missions, institutions and church administration will reveal that very few young people are given responsibility in the hierarchy.
The outstanding spectators of young people are like our cricket spectators who watch the game on television and pass cynical comments on the players on the field. Many young people are watching the ‘games people play’ in families, churches and Christian institutions, organizations etc, and become disillusioned with their practice of faith.

Where are the Christian young people? There are probably around 12 million or more Christian young people who can potentially become the leaders of the emerging new generation church. The numbers simply tells us the enormous challenge that the Church in India is faced with. The Church has no choice but to take proactive steps today to survive into the next generation. A whole generation seems to have been lost and may be we are in the process of loosing the future generations too.

Interserve India has prioritized mobilizing the Christian young professionals to be involved in cross cultural missions across India and beyond by envisioning them to use their professions for the glory of God in the marketplace. May God give us the grace to redeem the younger generation for a better future for the next generation! John Amalraj

© 2008, INFOCUS, Interserve, India

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