A LivingBold reader wants to know: How can we change the attitudes of some teens, as far as, once confirmed they tend to leave the church?

Confirmation is the gate to adult responsibilities in the church. This is also when most teens are given the option of church or sleeping in on Sunday. What makes so many WELS teens to hit the snooze button on God-and what can be done to keep them strong in the faith?

LivingBold asked a number of our readers to help answer that question. As usual, opinions varied. Here's what some of your fellow readers had to say.

Why you hit the snooze button

Parents

If parents don't attend church regularly, some teens feel why should they.
-Adrienne O.

Church

I would enjoy church more and feel closer to God if church didn't feel so stuffy and formal, like God was someone you can only approach one way.
-Rikki B.

It's all good for the old people, but times change. We should change with it. Kids or teens need a little more joy and happiness in church so they'll quit thinking it is so drab!
-Ryan Z.

Friends

If you hang around people who don't believe in God, then you are left with two choices. Either look at it as an opportunity to introduce Christ to that person, or allow them and their way of thinking affect you and your decisions.
-Adrienne O.

Some of their so-called "friends" may offer them distractions and that causes them to turn away. Also the world says you have to look a certain way or have a certain personality to be accepted and that may cause them to worry and not trust in God.
-Melissa K.

Teens themselves

They fail to see the importance of regular church attendance. If church was higher on their priority list, they would obviously come more often. Teenagers, as we all know, are invincible, and we try to enjoy life as much as possible. While church is seldom looked at as being fun, it is more important to keep a healthy spiritual life rather than a social life.
-Matt O.

Why teens are turned away from church is probably because they say that they're too busy.
-Joe M.

Maybe you've hit the snooze button -- or you have a friend who has. It's not too late to turn off the alarm and get back to church. Be sure to check out what some of you think can be done to get more teens back into church.

What can be done

Teens share some ideas on how to keep other teens active in church.

Parents

Parents need to set the example. Worship with their kids and set limits for teens.

If parents allow their teen to stay out partying into the early morning hours, then they are most likely not going to be motivated to get up for church the next morning.
-Adrienne O.

Church-pastors & teachers

Teens want services they can relate to and feel more in touch with their God. Churches that have youth groups help keep teens stay involved.

Pastors should have more interactive sermons. They should get out from behind the pulpit and walk among the pews. It keeps attention focused.
-Ryan Z.

Something that can be done about it is have services later in the day instead of the morning.
-Joe M.

At my home church, there is an established senior youth group. There are many members and the group does a lot over the years, such as fundraisers and multiple field and mission trips. The teens also have a Bible study one a month to tap into the gospel and reinforce God's love for them. If more teens get involved in the church now, lasting positive results will follow in life.
-Natasha F.

Friends

We all know about negative peer pressure. Christian teens can use positive peer pressure.

I think we can try to fix it by getting more friends and others involved in church activities and show them that it's fun to hang out with fellow believers and serve God.
-Melissa K.

Teens themselves

Some teens accept responsibility for their own choices and say it is up to them to make the commitment to church.

We need to go to church and hear God's Word regularly, if only to realize how precious we are to Him. We can share this message with other teens: You are precious to God. Have you, yourself, ever stopped to think about how special you are to the Lord?
-Jessie B.

I think that if more teens saw how fragile life really is, they'd think twice before skipping church. Without [the Lord] we wander, and this seriousness is never fully understood until we realize that tomorrow may never come. It may be too late to repent of our sins. I feel that if every teenager had a friend who died in a car accident, they would better understand the value of life. If there was a way for every teen to visit somebody in a trauma room, or somebody on life support, then they would understand how important it is to ensure a strong life with God.
-Matt O.

Summing it up

Bottom line is encouragement from their parents, their church, pastor, and their peers, along with them wanting to go to church and accepting the responsibility of getting out of bed and going is what determines a teen continuing to attend church.
-Adrienne O.

Would you be willing to contribute to future articles like this? Let us know by emailing us. Livingbold@sab.wels.net

Linda Buxa is an assistant editor at LivingBold.