Already Gone

August 29, 2011

Most parents believe that their children’s Christian faith really won’t come under attack until they leave home for college. They have seen other kid’s faith falter in college and naturally assume that the university environment is toxic to a Christian’s faith. While the last part of that assumption may be true, the rest of these assumptions are false.

First, Christian young people begin to have doubts about their Christian faith long before they head off to college. That is the researched conclusion from the book Already Gone by Ken Ham and Britt Beemer. On my radio program they explained the results of their research. American Research Group made 20,000 phone calls and conducted detailed surveys of 1,000 twenty-somethings who used to attend evangelical churches on a regular basis. When asked when they first had doubts, 40 percent said in Middle School and 44 percent said in High School.

The study found that we are losing our Christian kids in middle school and high school rather than college. The title of the book says it all. They are “already gone” even though they are sitting in the pews and going to church. Ham and Beemer concluded that the youth in our churches are not being taught apologetics and therefore do not know how to answer the skeptical questions of our age.

A second issue is whether the university is toxic to Christian faith. Of course it is, but the latest studies by sociologist Christian Smith shows that youth that do not go to college show the same (even slightly greater) drop off in religious commitment. In other words, the culture is just as toxic to Christian faith as the university.

Parents (as well as pastors, teachers, and youth leaders) need to understand the crucial need to prepare our youth for a culture that is hostile to their faith. They may be in our churches and youth groups, but there is growing evidence that many of them are “already gone.” I’m Kerby Anderson, and that’s my point of view.


National Student Mind Games


 

Students don’t have to “graduate from God” after high school! This total immersion week of worldview and apologetics, with lots of discussion and recreation built in, builds confidence that Christianity is true and it makes the most sense.

National Student Mind Games
Conference 2021

Camp Copass, Denton TX (Dallas/Ft. Worth area)
4:00 p.m. Sunday, June 13
to
9 a.m. Saturday, June 19
$495.00 (Optional $20 recreation fee for Ropes Course)
$425.00 for alumni ($445 with Ropes Course)
Online Brochure Typical Daily Schedule
Register Online Mail-in Registration Form
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More Information

Conference Overview
Mind Games Conference Radio Program Transcript
2015 Camp Pictures
2013 Video
Contact Us: Email Sue Bohlin     Call Sue: 972-977-8301

 

  • Please arrange transportation to arrive before 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 13 and depart after 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 19.
  • Dallas has two airports you can fly into: Dallas/Ft. Worth (DFW) and Dallas Love Field (DAL).
  • Email Sue Bohlin ([email protected]) with your itinerary so that she can coordinate your transportation to and from the camp.
  • You will get travel confirmation from her about pickup time and directions in mid-May.
  • Feel free to contact her with further questions by email or phone, 972-977-8301

 

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