Rutgers University: Are We Giving Our Young People a Reason to Stay?

What an incredible weekend of ministry at Rutgers University in New Jersey!

From Friday evening through Sunday morning, I had the privilege of sharing the message of Jeology with students from Rutgers, Princeton, and other universities in the surrounding area.

But this weekend reminded me of something that has been weighing heavily on my heart.

What if we have fundamentally misunderstood why so many young people are leaving the church?

Imagine a business discovering that nearly 70% of its longtime customers, many of whom had been loyal for 10 to 20 years, were walking away.

Wouldn’t its leadership take a serious look at what they were doing wrong?

Yet when we discuss the alarming number of young people leaving our churches, we often begin by questioning them rather than examining ourselves.

These aren’t necessarily people who have been antagonistic toward Christianity. Many grew up in our churches, attended our schools, participated in our programs, and listened to our sermons for years.

They know us. They’ve watched us. They’ve experienced what we have to offer.

And many are walking away.

Of course, there are many reasons why young people leave the church. But I wonder whether one of our greatest failures is that we have not consistently delivered on what the church promises to be.

We promise to introduce people to God, help them understand His Word, and equip them for a meaningful life of faith.

But are we delivering on that promise?

Are We Asking the Right Questions?

Too often, we assume young people simply want to be entertained. We conclude that they aren’t interested in serious Bible study, theology, or spiritual commitment.

And because we make those assumptions, we approach them accordingly.

We try to make church more entertaining, programs more exciting, and worship more appealing.

Or worse, we begin treating young people as problems that need to be fixed rather than individuals who need to be understood.

But my experience working with young adults and college students has repeatedly shown me something different.

Many are genuinely wrestling with important questions.

Does Christianity actually make sense? Is the Bible relevant to my life? Is this faith worth carrying into adulthood? Is there something here substantial enough to build my life upon?

And if we never take the time to know them, we will never understand the questions they’re actually asking.

What I Saw at Rutgers

This weekend was another powerful reminder that our young people are hungry for something substantial.

What made this experience especially meaningful was that it began two years ago when I presented a workshop at Princeton University.

Two students from Rutgers, Gwyneth and Irshad, attended that workshop. I didn’t realize how much the experience had meant to them, but for the next two years, they worked to bring Jeology to Rutgers.

They even began sharing my books and resources with friends, including those who didn’t necessarily share their beliefs about Scripture.

After two years of scheduling challenges, we finally made it happen!

Throughout the weekend, we explored how repetition, patterns, and parallel stories reveal the Bible as one coherent Story. We examined Genesis and discovered how its opening chapters provide essential keys for understanding the rest of Scripture.

At the Hungarian International Church, where we were welcomed with wonderful hospitality and delicious food, I also shared how God has called His people throughout history to proclaim a message relevant to their time—from Noah and Moses to the church awaiting Christ’s return.

What encouraged me most was seeing students engage seriously with Scripture and respond to its clarity.

Just as I experienced recently at Yale University, these young people weren’t simply looking to be entertained.

They wanted to understand. They wanted something worth believing in.

We Need More Than Doctrinal Correctness

As a church, we have invested enormous energy into teaching our doctrines and defending our theological positions.

And I believe doctrinal accuracy is important.

But doctrinal correctness alone does not necessarily address the deepest struggles people experience.

We can teach someone the correct doctrines without ever helping them understand the God those doctrines are supposed to reveal.

We can convince someone to agree with our beliefs without ever helping them discover why those beliefs matter.

And we can successfully bring someone into church membership without equipping them for a lifelong journey with God.

The goal of Christian education cannot simply be indoctrination. It must be transformation through an ongoing encounter with God in Scripture.

This is why I am so passionate about helping people see the Bible as a Story rather than merely a collection of doctrines, rules, and moral instructions.

Grace, for example, is not simply a theological concept we are required to accept.

It is a Story that invites us to discover how God accepts us.

In Malachi 3:6, God declares:

“For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.” (ESV)

What a remarkable statement!

God’s unchanging character isn’t presented merely as an abstract theological attribute. It is the very reason His people have not been destroyed.

The details of Scripture become so much more meaningful when we understand the larger Story they are telling.

The Bible isn’t primarily a demand for us to get our act together. It is the revelation of a God who is seeking to regain our trust.

And when people discover that Story, their relationship with Scripture begins to change.

The Great Commission Is More Than Church Membership

I believe we need to rethink what it means to disciple the next generation.

Our responsibility doesn’t end when someone agrees with our doctrines, gets baptized, or becomes a member of our church.

In many ways, that’s only the beginning.

We must equip people to continue discovering God through Scripture for the rest of their lives.

And not simply because they have a religious obligation to study the Bible or share their faith.

But because they have discovered something so beautiful, so meaningful, and so life-changing that they genuinely want others to experience it too.

That is the heart of the Great Commission.

We are not merely called to produce church members who agree with us. We are called to make disciples who know Jesus, continue growing in Him, and invite others into that same journey.

My experiences at Rutgers and Yale have reminded me that the next generation is not necessarily rejecting the substance of Christianity.

Many are still searching for it.

And perhaps instead of constantly asking why our young people are leaving, we need to begin asking whether we are giving them the opportunity to discover the beauty, depth, and substance of the faith we claim to believe.

Because when young people encounter the God of Scripture for themselves, they discover something far greater than a religious organization worth belonging to.

They discover a God worth knowing, a Story worth believing, and a faith worth sharing.

And that is exactly why Jeology exists.

If you want to learn more about what was shared at Rutgers, you can purchase the book, “You Can Understand the Bible” on Amazon.

Would You Partner With Us?

Everywhere we go, from churches and universities across the United States to communities around the world, we continue to meet people who are eager to discover the beauty and simplicity of Scripture.

But we cannot do this alone.

Would you consider partnering with Jeology to help us reach more people?

Invite us. If you would like your church, school, campus ministry, or community to experience the Bible in a fresh and meaningful way, we would love to come and share. Our interactive workshops are designed to help people discover Scripture for themselves, regardless of their theological background.

Pray for us. Please pray for the young people we encounter, for the churches and campus ministries opening their doors, and for the Holy Spirit to guide every presentation and conversation. Pray that this ministry will always point people beyond the messenger to the Author of Scripture.

Support us. As Jeology continues to grow, so do the opportunities and expenses involved in traveling, developing resources, and making our materials accessible to more people. Your financial partnership makes it possible for us to accept invitations and reach communities that may not have the resources to cover the full cost.

Share our mission. Introduce Jeology to your friends, family, pastors, campus ministry leaders, and anyone who longs to understand the Bible more deeply. Sometimes a simple invitation can open a door that changes someone’s life.

Two years ago, two students attended a workshop at Princeton. This weekend, their persistence opened the door for us to reach even more students at Rutgers.

Who knows what God might do through your invitation?

Our mission is not simply to convince people that they should read the Bible, but to help them discover that they can understand it for themselves.

Thank you for your prayers, encouragement, and continued partnership.

If you would like to invite Jeology to your church or partner with us financially, please contact us at itsjeology@gmail.com.

Together, let’s help more people discover the beauty and simplicity of Scripture—and the God who wants to be known through it.