Outliers: Musings from Millennial Evangelicals

Today’s guest post is one of those posts that you find when you spend way too much time on Twitter and and realize that there are so many varied voices out there that are never voices that the media uses when they want to “analyze” evangelicalism, media types usually trot out the same old folks–and with the current obsession over why (white)  millennials are leaving churches–I thought it would benefit readers of this page to read one person’s response–this was originally posted in her fine blog www.carisadel.com–Muchisimas gracias for allowing me to re-post here!

Please welcome my Twitter friend, Caris Adel, who is passionate about loving people, defending the oppressed, and being a voice for justice. She’s been married for 11 years, and with 5 kids, somehow finds the time to write about affirming humanity at www.carisadel.com  Please follow her at Twitter @CarisAdel and if you want, go ahead and follow me @AmichelSW We’ll be back in two weeks with a new guest post from my Tejana hermana, Erica Ramirez, next week–more Pentecostal music…enjoy!

I’m becoming a little tired of the responses to that RHE article that just dismiss her points as being caused by being a spoiled, entitled millennial.

Because you know what?  We aren’t.

Leaving, partially leaving, or considering leaving this culture that we grew up in is painful.  It feels like a slow amputation,

and you know that even if you leave, you will feel the absence.

It is not something I want to do or am doing lightly.  I am not having a hissy fit and just looking for something to make me happy.

For God’s sake, I’m an INFJ.  I’m rarely happy!

I thrive in tension and analysis and questioning.

I don’t mind staying in a place where I am constantly wrestling.  But I need someone on the mat with me.

I am leaving evangelicalism because my tensions are not welcome.  What I have to say is not wanted.  I’m left on the mat, alone.

If that makes me spoiled, so be it.

If not wanting to be told from the pulpit that the strength of my relationship with God is provable by how much I

disbelieve evolution makes me entitled, then fine.  I’m entitled.

If it is entitlement to want to discuss theological disagreements and not be told I don’t believe the Bible, then fine.  I’m

entitled.

If it’s entitlement to get tired of churches and movements just sitting around and praying a prophetic word to make your life

better, to be frustrated that the goal is just to pray for revival, pray for our nation’s healing, pray for God to show up, then fine, I’m

entitled.

If being incredibly annoyed that I can’t even send my kids to VBS without them coming home with tracts makes

me entitled, then color me spoiled.

If voicing my support for gay rights means people tell me they are praying for me, then I’m out!  If that means I’m a spoiled

member of the ME generation, then so. be. it.

I am tired of having to hide what I believe in a culture that prides itself on being welcoming, accepting, and real.

When the tagline on so many churches is ‘come as you are’ but they don’t really mean it, I’m done.

If wanting to find a group of people who follow Jesus the way I feel him calling me to follow makes me entitled, then fine.  I guess

I’m just entitled.

I shouldn’t have to continue making a list to justify why I am slowly making my way out of evangelicalism.

Who exactly am I having to prove my reasons to?  To people who don’t want to engage while I’m still here?

When I see how my church tradition, and even my specific churches, treats people like Rob Bell or RHE, when I know the

shitstorm that will ensue come November and Jesus Feminist hits the stands – why would I want to open myself up to the same

thing?

I don’t need the blessing of the evangelical complex to leave.  I don’t need to prove my love for Jesus or explain that

understand that I can’t leave the Body.

I am not leaving the culture that I know because I am seeking happiness.  I am leaving it because if I stay, I will become

even more bitter, cynical, and lonely.

If that makes me entitled, then fine.

Call me entitled.

When the continued response by people is dismissal of the thoughts in the article, that just adds to the alienation and pushes me

out the door even faster.

If that means I’m entitled, well, I just don’t care anymore.

**I will simply add an amen and see you in a couple of weeks**  amsw