Why young people are dropping out of church?

Identity crisis, says Fr. Patrick Wachira, the University of Nairobi, Catholic chaplain, is one of the reasons that is pushing young people out of the church.

Notwithstanding that pop culture has no structured form, Wachira adds, it seems to be exciting to the youths - thus most of them feel that main stream churches are boring.

He says that most youths agree that these churches offer substantial message but they claim that its delivery is wanting.

The SDA church president, Jan Paulsen says that young people need to be loved, even those who have dropped out of church:"Let's love them back..., God is in the business of saving people."

Paulsen urges church leaders at all levels to trust young people with responsibilities. "Many youths are saying, if the church doesn't need me today, I'm gone tomorrow."

"You don't have to change any biblical values," Paulsen says; "you just have to talk about them as values which can enrich their life ... both for a secure future and to shape the way we live now,"

For the Catholic priest, Wachira, the gospel of prosperity seem to be robbing the hearts of youths, but it's misplaced as it ignores the theme of Christianity - the cross. "It becomes an alter of glorifying wealth and individuals."

Pr. Ezra Okioma of Nairobi Central church says that cultural changes and worldly influences, which the church does not condone are storms that are sweeping the youths from the church.

Wachira says that the youth need to understand that Christian lifestyle is based in Bible teaching - hence he urges them not to match out of the church when it encourages them to live against the popular views such as sex before marriage."We should avoid things that makes us sexually active."

The youths are encouraged to be devoted Bible students. The Bible is not only the standard of Christian living but it transforms its readers, says Sis. Elizabeth Muriuki of the Bible Societies of Kenya.

Some youths have found themselves to being the proverbial frog that jumped from the flying pan into the real fire - being swallowed by cults, says Wachira. Thus he urges youths to safe guard themselves from cults that are becoming rampant.