Why does there seem to be more older people in churches?

debodun

debodun

SF VIP
Location
way upstate in New York, USA
I've been to many churches and my impression is that at least 80% of the congregations are age 70 or more. There maybe a dozen or so 30-50 year-olds, and age 20 or less are practically non-existent.
 

Maybe it's because old people are closer to death than younger people and they're scared. Maybe too, younger people don't believe they way they used to.

Many churches are closing. Could be that these TV mega- churches are taking the bulk of younger people.
 

Fear!

The last time I was dragged into church was when I was 11 years old. I saw through the whole con trick when I was under 5 but my parents were devout churchgoers. Not me.
 
I think its for the social contact mostly, as many older seniors don't have much in the way of social events, making new friends and entertainment that they can do anymore, perhaps.
 
The "older generation" was brought up going to church on Sundays. In fact, many of us went twice on Sundays and on Wednesday evenings. Wednesday was "church night" and schools would not schedule late athletic practice, games, programs, etc. Many carried the "habit" into our elder years.

We have seen an evolution of our society as to how they "get religion"... or don't. We saw the rise of television evangelists. Many stayed home watching Jim and Tammy Faye, etc. beg for money. And, millions sent their money to those "celebrities" and opted out of attending local congregations. That evolved into the digital age. Today, you can read about or listen to any religious leaning you desire on the internet. People are not as sociable. They communicate digitally and are not as interested in interaction with other church-goers. As we were growing up, parents played cards at least weekly with other church couples. We had pot-luck dinners at least once/month at church where people would sit around and gossip for hours. Again, today's generation does not have the same interaction. We can find out more about the next door neighbor by Googling his/her name than by meeting them face-to-face.

While in my youth, we still had congregations where women sat on one side of the aisle and men on the other. We had only male pastors. Church officers were male only. Many of those traditions have changed, as have the attendance habits of today's younger people.
 
Except for once when my sister was visiting, I haven't been to church in decades. Spent almost every day in church for one reason or another during my young Catholic school years, stopped as soon as I was old enough to decide for myself, once I was in high school. Luckily my parents weren't devout churchgoers, but they made sure the kids went.
 
And over on this side of the Atlantic most people have realised that the whole "god" thing is a load of mumbo jumbo superstition and turned our backs on it.
 
The younger generation is not 'buying' organized religion, and perhaps its because modern science has taken precedence and the younger generations have access to more information re computer technology and education. Maybe location has something to do with it too, the rural Bible belts of Canada and US might have more churchgoers, while big cities, not so much. Just guessing.
 
I think the younger generation just isn't interested in the way church services used to be. My daughter and son in law are extremely religious,yet they choose to go to a non denominational service. I have no problem with that, and I'm really not much of a church goer. One time I went with them. We all sat on folding chairs in what looked like a warehouse. Not a very church like feeling. They also like what they call a contemporary service. Music so loud it makes you head spin. We are suppose to go with them again on Christmas Eve in another state . I'm sure I won't recognize one Christmas carol because of the way it will be sung. if they sing them at all. I also intend to dress appropriately. I usually get told God doesn't care how you dress. I do it out of respect. We will see how this goes.
 
Cookie said:
The younger generation is not 'buying' organized religion, and perhaps its because modern science has taken precedence and the younger generations have access to more information re computer technology and education. Maybe location has something to do with it too, the rural Bible belts of Canada and US might have more churchgoers, while big cities, not so much. Just guessing.
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In rural BC church attendance is down, and the demographic similar to what OP described. I think Canada is becoming a secular nation.
 
I attend a small local church that is liberal in its theology but the congregation consists mainly of old women and we are steadily burying them as the years go by. The men are either already dead or did not accompany their wives to church. The children of this older generation married and moved away from the district and if they do attend church, it is somewhere else.

We have just a couple of families with younger children so the Sunday School is very small and we have no-one willing enough and young enough to organise any activities for youth, so once the kids decide that they are too big for SS they just drift away.

Eventually this congregation will become unviable and unless we can find a source of income beside the Sunday offerings we will have to close down and the community will lose a 60 place long day care centre, eight aged care cottages and various activities such as play groups, a homework club and social activities for seniors.
 
Some of the extreme positions of many churchs are turning off young people.

Very conservative churches are confusing science and theology, thus making themselves look stupid in the eyes of many.

Other churches (I am looking at you Catholic Church) are stuck with old rules that no longer make sense. Thankfully, the new Pope seems to be trying to turn the ship, but it will take years.

Many mainline Protestant churches seem more concerned with people on the fringe, and are ignoring their duty to more main stream people. My former church was always going on about oppressed people in Lower Mukistan, and the rights of people who wanted some rather odd behaviors to be blessed. But, they seemed oblivious to the loss of the church youth. Kids went until they hit HS or College age and left, and the hierarchy didn't' seem to care.

Maybe they need to see why the Mormons do so well and copy what they can.
 
I attended a service at a non-denominational church on an invitation. There was no altar, just a stage, and it was a 90 minute program of loud music with electric guitars and drums and no sermon. I kept thinking every few minutes that the music would stop and the service begin, but they just kept going - that WAS the service. To me, it turned a quiet, respectful act of worship into a rock concert. I realize they are trying to appeal to young people and we are supposed to "make a joyful noise", but it turned me off.
 
Debodun, I know how you feel as we once experienced the same thing. I wish you could experience our church. We have a wonderful choir and orchestra and a pastor from Louisiana that is the best I have heard. I can't wait to go on Sunday.
 
debodun said:
I attended a service at a non-denominational church on an invitation. There was no altar, just a stage, and it was a 90 minute program of loud music with electric guitars and drums and no sermon. I kept thinking every few minutes that the music would stop and the service begin, but they just kept going - that WAS the service. To me, it turned a quiet, respectful act of worship into a rock concert. I realize they are trying to appeal to young people and we are supposed to "make a joyful noise", but it turned me off.
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How right you are,debodun.
 
If the young folks enjoy that kind of service, great!

For years I attended a church where all the hymnes were from the late 1900's or earlier. Most much earlier. We prayed using words like 'thee', 'thou' and 'canst' among others. Why in the world were a bunch of 20-40 year old Americans supposed to pray and worship like they were proper Englishmen living in the 1800's??

Let the young worship as they wish.
 
I think the reason that so many Old people become devout in their religions, is that they look back and realize just how many times they have violated the "Do Unto Others" rule, and now, as their end approaches, they are trying to "hedge their bets". I used to attend church, but then I saw how many people are "Pious" on Sunday, then go right back their nonsense on Monday. It seems to me that leading a good life requires more than just 2 hours, once a week.
 
Don M. said:
I think the reason that so many Old people become devout in their religions, is that they look back and realize just how many times they have violated the "Do Unto Others" rule, and now, as their end approaches, they are trying to "hedge their bets". I used to attend church, but then I saw how many people are "Pious" on Sunday, then go right back their nonsense on Monday. It seems to me that leading a good life requires more than just 2 hours, once a week.
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I can assure you that the oldies in my church are not hedging their bets. For the most part they are the sweetest people that I have ever known and they live the good life 24/7. None of us are saints but our sins are long forgotten in the twilight of our lives. Forgotten and forgiven.
 
When I was 13-14, I became a Catholic altar boy. The new boys always got the 6 AM daily Masses. There were only 7 women, who ever attended those Masses. Since they all wore black, I suppose they were widows.
 

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