Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Wasted Days, Wasted Time

I'm someone who wants to understand. For some time I've been trying to figure out what people don't like about church. I know why I lost interest as a young adult. But what about those who are now empty nester's and unchurched. Is it church itself, the people who make up church, or God?

Unchurched adults are defined as those who have not attended church services, other than perhaps for a holiday or special occasion such as a wedding or funeral, at any time in the past six months. A Barna survey reported that unchurched adults have risen from 21 percent in 1991 to 34 percent in 2004. The adult population in the United States during that same period rose about 15 percent. And the number of adults who do not attend church has nearly doubled, rising from 39 million to 75 million.

What's the reason? I know several people who simply find church a waste of time. And most people understand that time lost is time gone. Wasted money can be made back. Wasted food can be replaced. But waste time and it's gone for good.

God stirs the hearts of people. They feel a yearning, often for something they can't identify. In trying to satisfy that desire they delve into a variety of experiences.

I want to know what it would take to make exploring God part of that process. What would it take to make God worth someone's time.

2 comments:

Carol said...

Cindy, I read through your complete blog on Saturday. Thanks for sharing your deep down thoughts so openly. I love your picture! And you are most definitely a writer. You have so many gifts, only heaven will tell all the ground you have covered in your life and all that you accomplished for the kingdom. To use a rather trite phrase..."you go girl!"

Carol said...

Cindy, I'm waiting for you to get back to blogging!!! Share yourself, Girl...you have lots of dynamite stuff to share!!