Why the Church is Losing Teenagers (And How We Can Win Them Back)

An estimated 70% of teenagers in Kenya do not actively engage in weekend church fellowships. This includes:  


- Midweek services ("Tuko na homework")  

- Sunday services ("Church yetu haibambi")  

- Home fellowships ("Hio ni ya wazee na wazazi wetu")  

- Church fundraisers ("Sisi hatuna doh ya kupeana")  


While these reasons hold some truth, at the core of it all is a deeper issue: they haven’t fully grasped faith and belief. Church, to them, is either boring, irrelevant, or simply not a priority.  


The Good News.

The one place where we still have 100% access to teenagers is school. Christian Unions (CU) and Catholic Action (CA) services are consistently well-attended, with over 95% participation in many schools.  



This is an opportunity we cannot afford to ignore. If we truly care about teenagers encountering Christ, we must be present in schools—not just waiting for them to show up on Sundays.  


How Can We Reach Them?  

Yes, it can be done. You only need to block out two hours weekly to invest in this mission. A simple, effective method that has worked before is the ABC Approach:  


- A - Adopt a School near you.  

- B - Befriend the Patron (CU/CA teacher or chaplain).  

- C - Congregate among them—show up, listen, connect.  

- D - Disciple through teaching through the Bible.  

- E - Evangelize by equipping students to share peer-to-peer.  

- F - Follow up post-high school to ensure continued growth.  


The Challenge is Ours.

This mission is within your budget, within your commission, and deeply fulfilling. The Church can do this. You are the Church.  


So, are you in? Let’s do this.  



#EveryTeenagerMatters #Missions

Comments

  1. AnonymousFebruary 3, 2025 at 8:26 PM

    It can be done, Amen,more grace to every minister and everyone who commits to this

    ReplyDelete

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