Observations abt the common conditions in communities that drive ppl to abandon the Christian faith:
1) Hypocrisy: high expectations by leaders w/ low performance, double standards, or abuse
2) Certainty: Qs or doubts abt God or Scripture are given no place & viewed as sinful
1/
3) Control: ppl are pressured formally & informally to speak, dress, act, & behave in highly regulated ways beyond the boundaries laid out in Scripture
4) Separatism: non-Christians are demonized morally & intellectually, viewed as dangerous & to be avoided
2/
5) Anti-intellectualism: education is discouraged in favor of "simlpe" faith in what the community understands Scripture to teach, a w/ highly subjective understanding of the Spirit's work & leading through feelings, & an overly supernaturalist account of the ordinary
3/
If we want to raise children & disciple church members who remain in the faith, we need to be communities that:
1) live with integrity & regularly repent of our sins
2) give space for doubt & lament as normal parts of the Christian life

4/
3) do not go beyond Scripture in binding consciences
4) embrace all the gestures given to us in Scripture regarding our relationship to outsiders (against, with, above, etc.) so that we integrate distinctly in the world around us and refuse to demonize non-Christians

5/
5) embrace the mind as a critical aspect of our humanity in loving God and neighbor by studying history and theology as well as encouraging people to embrace truth wherever it can be found

I'd love to hear you add your own thoughts on what contributes to abandoning & sticking.
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