The Myth of Freedom

by Thom S. Rainer and Sam S. Rainer III

Freedom. In high school, most of us experienced the thrill of getting our driver’s license, going off to college or embarking on a first date. We felt a certain increase of freedom with each of these life events, and part of being a high school student was learning how to manage new freedoms. But the Church has propagated a myth about high school students for too long. The myth: After high school, students drop out of church because of their desire for personal freedom.

We want to debunk this myth upfront—most students in high school do not plan to leave the church. Our research reveals that an overwhelming majority (80%) of high school students do not plan to leave their church once they graduate. Only 20% of high school students have preconceived notions about leaving the fellowship once they’ve flown their parents’ nest. By and large, we’ve determined students do not flee church because they want to enjoy newfound freedom away from home; they don’t have a deep desire to branch away from the church at all.

We recently talked to one senior who was leaving his small town to attend a flight school in Florida. We asked him how he felt about his decision.

“I’m excited about getting an opportunity to fulfill my dreams of becoming a pilot,” he said, “But I do have some reservations.”

“Like what?”

“Well, I’ll miss my family, of course. But I’ll also miss all the people at my church. I’ve had a great time getting to learn all the sound equipment and helping out during the service. I’ll definitely miss doing that every week.”

This student went on to tell us how his church had trained him since junior high to be one of the main members of the sound crew. He took ownership of what he did for the church. He knew that he added value to what the church was trying to accomplish, and felt he was a critical component of the body of believers. We’re sure he’ll take his talents to another church in Florida.

From our data, we can infer that one substantial reason many students do not plan to leave after high school is because their church is taking an active role in their lives. In other words, the church is essential to students because they know that they are essential to the church. Students are not looking for freedom; they desire responsibility.

Sadly, many students do leave the church after high school. But the heart of the issue isn’t freedom—it involves a disconnect between the local church and the lives of the students. In high school, most students do not make that vital connection with their church. And when church doesn’t play a critical role, these students end up replacing one social venue with another. Church is out; college life is now in. The church wasn’t essential to them in high school, so why would it change in college?

Now that we’ve debunked the “freedom” myth, it’s clear that all the blame doesn’t fall on students for exiting the church. While everyone is certainly accountable for his or her own actions, each church has the responsibility to make students a valued part of ministry. An array of responsibilities always need to be filled within the church—sound and lighting technicians, ushers, greeters, nursery workers and parking attendants. Ask students to pray during services. Train those who are more spiritually mature to teach elementary school children.

The essential church utilizes all capable believers in the body for service, including students. Want to keep your students? Put them to the task and then watch them grow.

-Excerpted from Outreach magazine, "Features," January/February 2008

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