You Lost Me

Young Americans are checking out of the church like never before. In effort to explore this a bit, I picked up David Kinnaman's You Lost Me, in which he investigates the reasons so many in the Millennial generation are struggling with the faith in which they were raised.
Kinnaman, the head of the evangelical Christian research firm the Barna Group, approaches the book as both a social scientist and a Christian.  I appreciate his openness in stating his beliefs and perspectives, something scientists often shy from in effort to appear objective (supposed objectivity is driving force in scientific bias, but this is a discussion we can have another day).  Kinnaman is unashamedly evangelical, and while his research addresses some Catholic and mainline protestant trends, white evangelicals are at the heart of his discussion.  While some of the language he uses has undoubtedly contributed to the departure of burned out Christians, on the whole he works hard to foster thoughtful discussion.
Kinnaman generalizes wandering Millenial Christians into three categories: nomads, who have departed from local churches but who continue to identify with the faith; prodigals, who have departed from Church altogether; and exiles, who remain consistent church-goers but with strong frustrations about American Christianity.  He employs examples of folks who have walked through periods such as these, from Stephen Colbert to Katy Perry.  Collecting a wealth of surveys from folks under 30 who were raised in the church, Kinnaman dispels some myths as to why young Christians are checking out, instead offering six major reasons the Millennial generation is dissatisfied with the faith.

1. The Church is overprotective: Young Christians live in a world consumed with safety, and find the Church has fallen in line by prioritizing protection over the call of the gospel.
2. The Church is shallow: Young Christians are frustrated with the tension between the gospel's call to death and the clean, comfortable lives of their congregations.
3. The Church is antiscience: In a world rapidly changing due to science-driven technological innovation, young Christians struggle with world views offered by their denominations that seem incompatible with science.
4. The Church is missing the mark on sexuality: Raised in the wake of the feminist and gay rights movements, young Christians wrestle with harsh views of the Church pertaining to gender equality and homosexuality.
5. The Church is exclusive: Young Christians, exposed to a wealth of different beliefs and cultures in a rapidly globalizing world, struggle with the Church's teachings on the exclusiveness of salvation.
6. The Church is hostile to doubt: In the period of life where self searching and experimentation thrive, young Christians find the Church has little room for doubt.

While the list is not comprehensive, I think it lays an excellent foundation for discussion.  I imagine for most Millennials raised in the Church, some if not all the points echo to some degree.  Kinnaman approaches his solutions section with a Millennial value: collaboration.  He incorporates fifty varied voices to speak towards how the Church can re-engage the generation, with a range of insightful suggestions and perspectives.
In the first emphatically evangelical book I have read in years, some of Kinnaman's assumptions and wording recollected memories of my early disillusion with the Church. Overall, it is informative, and I recommend it to someone curious about the issue, particularly those spending time with white evangelical Millennials. Otherwise, you can get the gist here.

What about you? Do any of Kinnaman's assessments resonate with struggles in faith for you?