New Book Exposes the Roots of the Youth Discipleship Crisis Facing the Western Church
By Youth for Christ staff.
You may have witnessed the growing trend of Christians “deconstructing” the faith of their youth and exiting the church.
One study of Australians aged 18–35 who grew up with a Christian background found that a massive 72% either no longer identified as Christian or no longer attended church frequently. Only 8% had a resilient faith that firmly trusted in the authority of Jesus and scripture.
“We can’t afford to ignore this issue,” says Cindy McGarvie, National Director of Youth for Christ Australia. “The souls of our youth are at stake.”
It was this heart for the lost that led McGarvie to write her latest book, The Next Revolution: Resisting the Cult of the Self, in which she digs deep to expose the roots of this discipleship deficit and illuminate a path forward.
“The Bible warns believers not to be taken captive by hollow and deceptive philosophy, but this is what I see is happening to many Christians today and we’ve become ineffective because of it,” she says.
“We live in a society that has dismantled the Christian foundations it was built upon, replacing our faith in God with the worship of Self.
“And, in the main, I don’t think the Church is adequately demonstrating how to live counter-culturally as Christians in this post-Christian society. There is often very little distinction in worldview between those who profess Christ and those who don’t.
“If our young people are not being equipped to discern empty philosophies, intelligently refute them, and steadfastly resist their influence they will not stand against the prevailing pressure to conform to the world.”
In The Next Revolution, McGarvie explores the influences that have shaped society and crept into Christian thinking since the cultural revolutions of the ’60s and ’70s, bringing much clarity and wisdom to those wanting to make sense of the times and the Christian calling to be in the world but not of it.
It’s a cry to revolution against “the greatest totalitarian ruler” of all – Self.
As McGarvie writes, “the act of denying self and choosing God is revolutionary. Daily we are forced with the decision: Are we with God or are we against him?”
The Next Revolution is available for purchase in paperback and eBook formats from store.yfc.org.au with all proceeds directly supporting the mission of Youth for Christ.
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Originally published at Youth for Christ.
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Cindy takes my breath away and I have never met her….. is person.
She lived, in reality a life I dreamed of (in terms of integrity ). Not all is lost though because now she continues to inspire me.
God indeed works in mysterious ways.
Totally agree. I have been concerned about this very issue for some time. we, the church, need to be counter cultural NOW, but first we have to understand the culture around us, while preaching the foundations consistently to our usual youth.. Pray for men of Issachar in our pulpits and in our homes.