Research and surveys show that many atheists, agnostics, and
spiritual-seekers who lack religious affiliation are former Christians.
But there was no research-based book that explained in depth why people
were leaving, until Generation Ex-Christian.
The recently released book by Drew Dyck, editorial manager of the
ministry team at Christianity Today International, breaks down “leavers”
into six categories: postmodern leavers, recoilers, modern leavers,
neo-pagans, rebels, and drifters.
These categories were formed after Dyck interviewed nearly 100 people while researching the book.
“I’m not a sociologist or statistician, but I knew as a journalist I
could bring something to this issue by introducing people to some of the
faces and the stories behind the statistics,” Dyck told The Christian
Post.
“And just providing profiles of these, what I call ‘leavers’, these
20-somethings and early-30s that have walked away from the faith. And
then provide some kind of tips on how to engage them in meaningful
conversations about God that will ultimately lead them back.”
While much is known about the challenges in reaching a postmodern and
modern audience with the gospel - think Richard Dawkins and Christopher
Hitchens - little if anything has been said about the other four
categories in Dyck’s book.
The recoilers are not easily identifiable as a leaver category
because they tend to avoid talking about their painful childhood or
teenage experiences with the church that are the primary reasons they
left the faith.
If pressed to explain why they left the faith, many
recoilers will find intellectual reasons to back up their emotional
reasons, Dyck writes.
“For a child who suffers some form of ‘sanctified’ abuse, the
resulting spiritual damage can haunt that person for a lifetime,” he
explains in the book.
“Such is the case for many recoilers – they often
have experienced some form of abuse in the name of God.
“They have become disillusioned with faith because the people they sanctified let them down. God is guilty by association.”
The author suggests finding out if a leaver is a recoiler by asking
questions about their experience with the faith community, whilst
avoiding putting them on the defensive.
If someone is a recoiler, then
concentrate on listening to the person’s story and empathising with
their pain.
It is important to establish a friendship and earn the trust
of recoilers, Dyck writes, and to help them to reconcile with God
before His people.
For neo-pagan leavers, the author spotlights Wicca, which is the
fastest growing religion in the United States.
Out of all the
categories, Dyck reports that neo-pagan leavers have “the strongest
emotional reaction to Christian faith”.
Although neo-pagans are not as
verbally combative as modernist leavers, if they do open up it is
usually “a river of molten rage”.
Wiccans have negative feelings toward Christians because they have
been repeatedly portrayed by believers as Satan-worshippers and accused
of sacrificing animals and rumoured to murder babies.
Dyck says the
first step in having a meaningful relationship with Wiccans is to defuse
their negative feelings by showing familiarity with their basic beliefs
and asking them what attracted them to Wicca and what problems they
have with Christianity.
“Reaching neo-pagans begins with showing an appreciation for nature
and a desire to protect it, all while directing them to the God of whom
nature is a grand reflection,” writes Dyck.
Also, neo-pagans are attracted to spirituality so it is helpful for
Christians to not be shy about talking about their own spiritual
experiences.
Drifters, meanwhile, are those Christians whose faith was never that
deep to begin with and it is hard to pinpoint when they actually left.
These drifters, like their name suggests, just gradually drifted away
without notice.
They do not argue against Christianity and do not have
emotional baggage from the faith.
They still identify themselves as
Christians, but their life in no way reflects a commitment to Christ.
“They’re the kind who blend in, go with the flow. They were likely
swept up in the faith in the first place because it was what everyone
else around them was doing. Then they left for the same reason. They
found themselves in a new context where Christian faith wasn’t the
norm,” Dyck writes.
The author suggests challenging drifters with the hard demands of the
gospel and to emphasise that church is not a social club but an
“all-or-nothing proposition”.
Also, it is good for drifters to form
intergenerational bonds within the church instead of only being
associated with the youth group.
In the interview with The Christian Post, Dyck said that he thinks
the hardest leaver to bring back to Jesus Christ is the spiritual rebel.
Spiritual rebels are those who have a hard time accepting the divine
authority of God.
They do not have an intellectual objection but a heart
issue, observes Dyck.
The only suggestion he has for reaching spiritual
rebels is to pray a lot for them and to form relationships with them.
The other type of rebel is the one that loves to party.
This type of
rebel does not have an intellectual or emotional problem with the faith,
but they are just unwilling to abide to Christian morality.
“A lot of young people are walking away not only from the church, but
from their faith,” says Dyck. “And I don’t think that they will come
back automatically. I don’t think we can count on that - some automatic
return to the faith.”
The author urges older members in the church to build relationships with young people.
“Often what I found is the break from their faith came in the context
of relationships, something went wrong with either a youth pastor, a
parent, or some other spiritual authority. If they are going to be
reconciled, come back to the church, it is going to have to happen in
the context of relationships.”
SIC: CT/UK