“The Pew Forum reports that fewer than 20% of people age 18 to 29 attend church services regularly, but about three-quarters of them believe in an afterlife -- about the same rate as older generations.” (Los Angeles Times) http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-beliefs22-2010feb22,0,7143343.story

There seems to be a growing disdain for the need for a local church among young adults. That breaks my heart as a college pastor, because I know how vital the church is to our survival as believers. This is especially true when in our young adult years. Why, because young adults have a tendency to leap before looking, due to their inexperience and lack of impulse control.

Biology tells us that the brain does not stop developing until about 25 years old, and it’s in the area of impulse control. The thing that the local church can offer is a sense of guidance and constant reminders to remain true to your belief system. The church will not be healthy without young adults nor will young adults be well rounded without a local spiritual family with which to belong.

I believe in the local church. I believe in the church because Jesus believed in it. Jesus did not start schools, or governmental organizations, but he started the church. Why, because he knew that was the best thing for the growth of his family. That’s why a Christian without a church home is a contradiction. The early church understood this as a call to meet locally. That’s why we see Paul writing to local assemblies to assist in their development.

 It’s important that we guide and help young adults back to the church. Not some random loosely affiliated “Christian faith” but to a body of people where they can know and be known. So, my prayer is that this article would fuel the church to once again make young people a priority.