Already Gone: Why Your Kids Will Quit Church and What You can do to Stop It (Beemer & Ham)

If you look around in your church today, two-thirds of the young people who are sitting among us have already left in their hearts; soon they will be gone for good.

This is the alarming conclusion from a study Answers in Genesis commissioned from America's Research Group, led by respected researcher Britt Beemer. The results may unnerve you - they may shake long-held assumptions to the core - but these results need to be taken seriously by the church. Already Gone reveals:

• Why America's churches have lost an entire generation of believers
• The views of 1,000 twenty-somethings, solidly raised in the church but no longer attending - and their reasons why 
• Relevant statistical data effectively teamed with powerful apologetics

The study found that we are losing our kids in elementary, middle school, and high school rather than college, and the "Sunday school syndrome" is contributing to the epidemic, rather than helping alleviate it. This is an alarming wake-up call for the church, showing how our programs and our approaches to Christian education are failing...and our children are paying the price. Though the statistics reveal a huge disconnect taking place between our children and their church experience, Already Gone shows how to fight back for our families, our churches, and our world. We can make a difference today that will affect the statistics of tomorrow in a positive and Christ-focused way!

Table of Contents:

Part 1: An Epidemic on Our Hands

1. Already Gone

2. Sunday School Syndrome

3. Not What You’d Expect

4. The Short Road to Irrelevance

Part 2: Solutions within Our Grasp

5. The Ready Defense

6. The Real Deal

7. Welcome to the Revolution

Appendix 1: The Survey

Appendix 2: Resources for Upholding the Word

Appendix 3: Resources for Parents

Appendix 4: Resources for Christian Educators

Appendix 5: Resources for Youth Pastors

Appendix 6: Resources for Pastors

Authors 

Britt Beemer holds a BA from Northwest Missouri State University and has an MA from Indiana State University. His work has been cited in the media, including the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Investor’s Business Daily, CNN, Fox News, Fox Business News, and many others.

Ken Ham is the founder of Answers in Genesis-U.S., the president of the Creation Museum, and a popular Christian speaker. He is the author or co-author of many books, and is heard daily on the radio program, “Answers...with Ken Ham,” on more than 300 stations worldwide.