Already Gone: Why Your Kids Will Quit Church and What You Can Do to Stop It

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Already Gone: Why Your Kids Will Quit Church and What You Can Do to Stop It

3.93 of 5 stars 3.93 · rating details · 231 ratings · 51 reviews

Nationwide polls and denominational reports are showing that the next generation is calling it quits on the traditional church. And it's not just happening on the nominal fringe; it's happening at the core of the Faith.

Paperback, 189 pages

Published March 1st 2009 by Master Books (first published January 1st 2009)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

This book is not yet featured on Listopia. Add this book to your favorite list »

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 495)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Jan 14, 2012 Kevin Thompson rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: apologetics, current-issues, creation

It’s been no secret that many teenagers leave the church completely shortly after entering into college. However, the shocking news is these teenagers have already left the faith long before they may have left the church. Its not colleges that our encouraging our teens to leave the church, it may be the church itself. Thus the premise of Already Gone by Ken Ham and Britt Beemer…

Already Gone seeks to analyze the results of a survey conducted by Answers in Genesis and conducted by Britt Beemer his...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jul 19, 2011 Adam T Calvert rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: education

This was truly a sobering look at what's happened in England - with their rich history of evangelism and preaching (John Wesley, George Whitefield, Charles Spurgeon) and doctrinal clarity (the Westminster divines, et al.) - and the similar consequences that could soon be clearly visible in America. The authors especially hit it home the way they open and close the book (not going to spoil it).

Ordinarily I tend to be very skeptical of "statistics" and the way people use them, but when Brit Beemer...more This was truly a sobering look at what's happened in England - with their rich history of evangelism and preaching (John Wesley, George Whitefield, Charles Spurgeon) and doctrinal clarity (the Westminster divines, et al.) - and the similar consequences that could soon be clearly visible in America. The authors especially hit it home the way they open and close the book (not going to spoil it).

Ordinarily I tend to be very skeptical of "statistics" and the way people use them, but when Brit Beemer can predict almost down to the exact number of how many people will visit a new attraction within the first year, it certainly makes me want to listen.

This book shows some startling findings, like the number of people raised in the church that never come back after they go to college. And even more startling, the fact that they had already left intellectually and spiritually during middle school. And even more startling, the fact that the people who attended Sunday school regularly were more likely to leave and never come back than the people who were not regular Sunday School attenders.

All this to say - something is wrong with conservative, evangelical Christianity in America (and that was indeed their target in retrieving this data). Obviously the premise of the book is that the churches are not equipping their fellowships with solid apologetics that can answer the skeptics' questions. True enough! I would go one step farther and say the parents are not involved enough in the upbringing of their children - theologically, apologetically and more (perhaps just a personal opinion, though this is based on my own observations). This point it brought out a little in the end of the book by the authors as well.

The authors do a good job of showing the data, their interpretation, and a call to action. Overall, it's a compelling read. While the language can get a little too emotional at times, it's still a great idea for parents, Sunday School teachers, and youth pastors to know what's going on in the church. And it is to those three groups whom I would recommend this book the most!(less)

like · see review

Jul 09, 2011 Kenneth rated it 3 of 5 stars

Ham, Ken and Britt Beemer: Already Gone: why your kids will quit church and what you can do to stop it (ok) (166pgs) Some good insight in this book, but seems to oversimplify some problems. It seems their answer to the problem was to have answers for critics of Genesis and not much beyond that. I believe we need to have answers but the Bible is not mainly a science book. Where it teaches science we can trust it fully but it is about God, creation, man, sin, Christ as redeemer, and his return to...more

like · see review

Aug 25, 2010 Rick Toews is currently reading it

The study contrasts the effectiveness of Sunday School, in which kids learn "stories" from the Bible for perhaps a couple of hours per week, with public school, in which they learn facts about the real world for several hours each school day. It notes the influences these respective sources have on the formation of a child's worldview and that when there is a conflict, it is very likely that the information under the "real world" heading will be believed.
Interestingly, it found that those who ha...more

like · see review

Oct 15, 2009 Nora St Laurent rated it 4 of 5 stars

In the front of this book are pictures of beautiful churches in England that have been transformed. They show a church in the United Kingdom turned into a rock climbing center, one in England turned into a night club, one a restaurant and still another a theater.

The authors talk about a shift in society, “The decline of the Church has followed the plummeting spirituality of a nation that has lost its roots—its foundation. England, the country that was once a cornerstone of western Christianity,...more In the front of this book are pictures of beautiful churches in England that have been transformed. They show a church in the United Kingdom turned into a rock climbing center, one in England turned into a night club, one a restaurant and still another a theater.

The authors talk about a shift in society, “The decline of the Church has followed the plummeting spirituality of a nation that has lost its roots—its foundation. England, the country that was once a cornerstone of western Christianity, is now, by and large, a wasteland of lost souls, where the word “God” has many different definitions, with so few these days who would even think of “God” as the Creator God of the bible….Few people are aware that the same epidemic that has hit England has reach our own shores, spreading like an unstoppable virus.”

Got your attention? It did mine. Definition of “Epidemic—

1. A disease or anything resembling a disease; attacking or affecting many individuals in a community or a population simultaneously.

2. Anything which takes possession of the minds of people as an epidemic does of their bodies; as, an epidemic of terror.

The authors describe this “Epidemic” and show the results of surveys done that brought them to this conclusion. It’s an eye opener. There wasn’t ONE major thing that was happening that would point to something they could fix but it did give areas to concentrate on.

At the end of this book is a resource you can use to help spread the love and joy of Christ and get people back in relationship with God or start in that directions anyway. Welcome to the Revolution, is the hope. What does it look like? The authors give resources to Parents and what they can do to help their children have a relationship with god and keep it. There is also a guide to help Christian Educators, Youth Pastor, and finally the Pastor,

At the end are pictures of churches throughout American that have been abandoned and being used as something else just like in England. One church used as a Historical Society, a business office, a Musical Instrument store, a Martial Arts College, and a Town Hall. The virus has hit American shores. This book gives hope, areas we can work on, and practical ways we can stop this epidemic. We are all the body of Christ called to define the word and life it. I'm glad I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Finding Hope Through Fiction
www.psalm516.blogspot.com (less)

1 like · like · see review

Nov 06, 2009 Thomas Freeman rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ken Ham has teamed up with a Britt Beemer, a survey research specialist. Working together they have surveyed a cross-section of conservative evangelical young adults. After analyzing the results they present the case that our young adults are leaving the church at an epidemic level. However t he most surprising discovery is that the vast majority left the church prior to high school graduation. The youth had questions and challenges for the Christian worldview that were not answered satisfactori...more Ken Ham has teamed up with a Britt Beemer, a survey research specialist. Working together they have surveyed a cross-section of conservative evangelical young adults. After analyzing the results they present the case that our young adults are leaving the church at an epidemic level. However t he most surprising discovery is that the vast majority left the church prior to high school graduation. The youth had questions and challenges for the Christian worldview that were not answered satisfactorily and they left mentally before finally leaving physically.

Ken presents the material in a pretty easy read structure. Their statistics are presented well. I believe the material is a bit week in considering a solution. Ken is very balanced in his presentation. He does a good job of indicating that the focus on music preferences and other worship concerns are not good or bad but they are clearly missing the point. Ken’s point is to re-establish the foundation of God’s Word and especially Genesis and then to make sure we are really living it in a non-compromising manner.

Ken shows that the youth leaving fit into two categories: those who specifically reject faith in God’s Word and those who believe God’s Word but see church as irrelevant. In his argument to return to God’s Word he hopes to win young people to faith through an “evidential apologetic” by knowing and giving well explained reasons to believe. In his argument to “really live” according to God’s Word he hopes to remove the hypocrisy and lack of love that makes the church seem irrelevant.

I believe he neglects the fact that in the Post-Christian western worldview we are raising a generation who believe all truth is relative. A person may say they don’t believe and then have well argued evidence presented and yet still choose not to believe. What’s true for you may not be true for them. Evidence in and of itself is not enough to convince them. Another person may say they believe in those truths and yet hold belief in contrary views at the same time. Truth is a very fluid thing for them. I believe it is very possible that both groups of Ken’s survey may have the same underlying problem – a post modern view of reality.

I think Ken’s book is a great eye opener to the issues facing our churches in today’s generation. I believe it falls short in the answers. We still need a good holistic curriculum that helps build a transformational worldview for our young people. This worldview is solidly based on God’s transcendent character and man’s need for truth authored by a transcendent God. Then returning to Genesis will have a transformation effect in their lives.

I recommend the book but feel it is still lacking some crucial elements.
(less)

like · see review

Jun 27, 2012 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

Very insightful book. I've seen enough of the problem they describe to allow me to take the premise as stated and skip over the pages and pages of statistics and proofs to get to the meat of the solution. I am so grateful for thoughtful people who are willing to take the time and trouble to work through these difficult issues and come down to the biblical root of the matter: are we willing to take God at His word, to live lives based on the Bible in more than a superficial "only spiritual with n...more

like · see review

Feb 12, 2011 Dan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: spirituality

I wish I could've just bought the research study. This book makes it clear that we are losing kids in Sunday School, not college. In a nutshell, Ham believes that teaching a literal, young-earth creation is the only way to bring kids back to church. There is more depth to it than that, they make a good case that we really lose kids in middle school because Sunday School is really just a glorified babysitter program in many churches, and youth ministry does more to fuel the cultural concept of ad...more

like · see review

Sep 15, 2010 David Natiuk rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Christians, Educators, Parents

Recommended to David by: Friend

Shelves: christian, non-fiction, sociology

ONE-MINUTE REVIEW:
A necessary wake-up call to whomever calls themselves a Christian and has even the slightest desire to pass those values on to the next generation and beyond!

The biggest problem facing the Christian world today is the attack on the authority of the Bible, and the inevitable slide to irrelevancy once that foundation has been destroyed. From the very first chapter of Genesis, our post-Christian society doubts the Bible's history and Christians have not done a good job of correct...more

like · see review

Jan 22, 2010 Tonya rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: tonya-has-read

This book has been expressing much of what I feel when I think about church. It is very educational and shows me how I should help my own children.

My only complaint is I don't fit either group. I propose a 3rd group: those that have tried and tried to follow God's Word to the letter, but have been hurt by hypocrasy so many times in the church, they are looking for something better. Churches are made up of human beings and are never perfect, but they COULD keep those who do things against the Wor...more

like · see review

Jul 24, 2011 Stephen rated it 4 of 5 stars

READ MAY 2011

Interesting take on the dynamics of many leaving the church, as an institution, while they continue to seek community of faith. While the focus is on high school and college-age, the application is to all with similar perspectives.

Best quotes, "Our spirituality has become compartmentalized....'If I can't trust the Bible in the earthly things, why should I trust it in the spiritual things?' ... The church actually disconnects the Bible from the real world" (p. 78), and "at least half...more

like · see review

Feb 23, 2012 Joel Arnold rated it 3 of 5 stars

Already Gone

Based on a survey of 1,000 kids who grew up in conservative Christian homes but subsequently abandoned their faith, this book explores what is causing our kids to leave. Many insights from the data are fascinating and very helpful. Unfortunately, the book also tended to be an exercise in data interpretation. Ham believes that our kids are leaving because we fail to teach them creation science. The data led me to conclusion that the issue is our families and our personal walk with God...more

1 like · like · see review

Feb 07, 2013 Todd Miles rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ecclesiology, youth, cultural-analysis

Ham tries to make the case that the primary reason that so many teens leave the church when they leave the home is because they have not been taught the Bible well. He tries to link teaching the Bible well to teaching a literal account of Gen 1-2. I tend to agree with that assertion and his overall concern. His book is based on statistical surveys of those who have left evangelical churches. The results are interesting, though I think that his statistical work seemed dubious at times. This book...more

like · see review

Oct 02, 2012 Jefferson Sweet rated it 5 of 5 stars

As SS director in my church, this book and movie caused us to realize changes were needed. We implemented changes to our curriculum and our teacher training based on this book. I recommend it to all parents and grandparents; especially of elementary age children.

As Associate Pastor I see the effect on our children when their parents rely on the Public schools to educate their kids. I try to educate the parents in our church of their GOD given responsibility to raise up children in the care and a...more

like · see review

Apr 30, 2010 Joseph Sawanowich rated it 4 of 5 stars

Answers In Genesis commissioned America's Research Group to study the exodus of today's youth from the faith. What they found was that 2/3s of young people (<20)currently present in body are actually already gone in heart. To reverse the trend, the book encourages a return to the authority of Scripture, especially the foundational chapters of Genesis (1-11) and teaching our youth how to answer challenges to the faith through apologetics. Very good book overall. It tends to seem like an advert...more

like · see review

May 23, 2013 David rated it 4 of 5 stars

It is said that 90% of churches in the US are either in decline (80%) or have plateaued (10%). Already Gone was not written to be a text on how to grow your church. It does address, in part, the decline in conservative churches. Written by Ken Ham and Britt Beemer, it seems to be a well researched book, full of shocking yet "user friendly" statistics that address in large part the exodus of younger people from conservative Bible-believing churches. One might question the validity of the statist...more

like · see review

Dec 28, 2012 Honeybee rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was an eye-opening book. It is not an easy read. It was full of statistics and analyses of the most common reasons young people give for leaving the church as young adults--and why they have no intention of coming back.

Basically, we have failed to make the Christian faith believable or relevant to them--especially in face of the onslaught against the Bible through secular humanistic science to which they are exposed constantly through the media and public education, while receiving Bible-ba...more

like · see review

Jul 07, 2010 Amy marked it as to-read

My church is obsessed with this book. I don't think a voter's meeting has gone by since it was published that someone hasn't mentioned it. Sometimes I find it kind of ironic. They talk as if its a new revelation, and maybe it is for them. But really? All they had to do was ask any number of teenagers. We know. We see, we hear, and we answer. But my generation isn't expected to feel anything, we're just "a problem" and "losing our faith", wanna know why?
Ask one of us.
I dare ya.

1 like · like · see review

Jul 24, 2011 Brian Eshleman added it

I'm not sure suspicious is the right word, but when an author widely known for Answers in Genesis commissioned statistics that arrive at the conclusion that apologetics on that issue are THE critical issue is whether twentysomethings stay in church, one has to ask.
His insight that young people don't place the value in church because they don't put what they learn on equal footing with other subjects was insightful. His contention that apologetics needs to be included in our lessons from the Bibl...more

like · see review

Oct 23, 2010 Val added it

This book is chilling. Every sunday school teacher, youth leader, pastor, parent, teacher, etc. must read this. I teach 20somethings every summer and this is the answer to the slow fade of that age group from their roots in the church.

like · see review

Mar 20, 2013 Beth Cronk rated it 1 of 5 stars

Not my theology. Kids are leaving church because we aren't teaching them the literal truth of Genesis? And the "right answer" is that dinosaurs coexisted with people? I'm sorry, that is not a universal Christian belief.

like · see review

Aug 07, 2012 Matthew rated it 1 of 5 stars

This guy is a sham. Ken Ham just wants to sell you more of his AIG stuff. He doctrine is in my opinion questionable. His points are backed only by assumptions. I suggest one stay away from this guy.

like · see review

Sep 01, 2011 Chuck Bonadies rated it 3 of 5 stars

I like Ken Ham. I like him a lot. I have a feeling, however, that many economists would disagree with some of his methods of research. In short, I find some of his solutions a bit shortsighted.

like · see review

Mar 06, 2012 Tim Sheppard rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: theology-bible

I appreciated the new thought about losing kids in Sunday School. I agree with Ken that we need people who have a proper view of the Scriptures all the way down to the Creation account. Kids need to see us believing the Bible and living it as well. I don't think all the stats were necessary. We need to be thoughtful and intentional about everything we do with kids. My family was most influential on my view of the Bible. I probably had some poor Sunday School teachers as well. The church needs to...more

like · see review

Mar 16, 2013 Library of Pastor Chris rated it 5 of 5 stars

there is a lot of truth in what Ken Ham presents. We must build a stronger foundation in the lives of our children.

like · see review

Aug 24, 2010 Andy Anderson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: youth-culture

awesome book about teaching the first 11 chapters of Genesis and how it is so important to a Christians worldview...

like · see review

Sep 23, 2012 Haelie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Check it out here: http://tonotdecideistodecide.blogspot...

1 like · like · see review

Sep 20, 2011 Bob rated it 4 of 5 stars

A sobering look at trends in church attendance and spiritual commitments among American youth

like · see review

Oct 09, 2012 Sue rated it 4 of 5 stars

Lots to think about here. It's true - if you lose creation, you've lost the fall, and ultimately the need for Christ.

like · see review

Jan 28, 2012 Jason rated it 5 of 5 stars

Ken Ham and Brit Beamer did a fantastic job at researching a current trend in the church today. They asked probing questions to find out why people (mostly kids and twenty-somethings)are leaving the church, and often times the faith. They shed light on the urgent need of understanding and leadership in the church today. People need to start educating themselves on the seemingly harder issues of the Bible, or they just need to "man-up" and have the faith that it takes to stand on the Word of God....more

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 16 17 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend it | Stats | Recent status updates

combine
Other Editions (4)

Genres

Non Fiction

10 users

Parenting

5 users

Christian

5 users

Religion > Christianity

4 users

Education

4 users

Religion

3 users

Religion > Theology

3 users

Religion > Church

2 users

Family

2 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Ken Ham

Dr. Ken Ham is the president of Answers in Genesis USA and is a well-known speaker and author on the subject of Young-Earth Creationism. He received a bachelor degree in applied science (emphasis on environmental biology) from the Queensland Institute of Technology, and a Diploma of Education from the University of Queensland. He has also received two honorary doctorates: a Doctor of Divinity from...more

More about Ken Ham...

Books by Ken Ham

The New Answers Book: Over 25 Questions on Creation/Evolution and the Bible

One Blood: The Biblical Answer to Racism

The Great Dinosaur Mystery Solved: A Biblical View of These Amazing Creatures

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Already Gone: Why...

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

title link	preview: Already Gone: Why Your Kids Will Quit Church and What You Can Do to Stop It
avg rating	preview: Already Gone: Why Your Kids Will Quit Church and What You Can Do to Stop It Goodreads rating: 3.93 (231 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6158327-already-gone?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348327033l/6158327.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6158327-already-gone?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Already Gone: Why Your Kids Will Quit Church and What You Can Do to Stop It by Ken Ham[/url]

Already Gone: Why Your Kids Will Quit Church and What You Can Do to Stop It

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website