Here is the new cover story at Christianity Today, based on a very important book by Thomas E. Bergler on the Juvenilization of American Christianity. I think he gets a whole lot of things exactly right. A must read for church leaders of all stripes. Here is a nice excerpt from the book…
“Adolescent Christians see the faith as incomplete unless it is affecting them emotionally. They are less likely than adults to settle for a faith that offers only a dutiful adherence to particular doctrines, rules, or institutions. On the other hand, they have a hard time keeping religious commitments when their emotions are not cooperating. They are drawn to religious practices that produce emotional highs and sometimes assume that experiencing strong feelings is the same thing as spiritual authenticity. They may be tempted to believe that God’s main role in their lives is to help them feel better or to heal their emotional pain. Juvenilized adults agree that a main purpose of Christianity is to help them feel better about their problems.”