"88% of Evangelical Children Leave the Church After High School"

That is a sobering headline! (I have also been told that 91% of all statistics are made up on the spot;) The article (click here) goes on to quote Dr. Frank Page (new SBC President) as saying that it is his observation that it doesn't seem to make much difference in the drop-out rate, whether the children went to a public school or a Christian school. The article has generated a large number of comments (90 at the time of this writing). A couple of the comments stood out to me. One important aspect is to make sure that high schoolers are given opportunities to serve in the church in meaningful ways. One of the very encouraging aspects that I am seeing is that of a number of our college age young people getting involved in ministry to our youth and children.

A second observation which I have been making, is that it appears that those young people whose parents are spiritually committed to Christ and His church are the ones who are staying connected. A "Pastor Dan" (not me) has also observed this and goes on to say that teens who come from a home where Mom and Dad aren't Christians also seem to stay connected. That has also been my observation. From what I have noticed, it seems that teens have a greater tendency to drop out of church if they come from homes where other priorities choke out regular church participation (attendance and ministry). Often times, parents of middle school or high school don't see the importance of this at the time, "thinking our children will be different." The reality, however, sets in after graduation. That is why it so important for us as parents to model through our lives a commitment to Christ and His church as the priority of our lives. (Of course, it is also important to realize that our children have the opportunity to make their own decisions regarding their spiritual walk.)