I am an LCMS member in a small church in western Nebraska. I am 50 now and have held every office our church has but most recently as elder. Our pastor and I would stay until the early morning ours after voters meetings and attempt to figure out the cause of church apathy especially for those members age 14-30. We always concluded it was a poor job of parenting......Please hear me out. A few years ago my youngest daughter, who was attending Concordia Seward, felt inspired to make a difference. She said dad I would like to start an evangelism team at church...what do you think? I said praise God. Go for it! Our pastor was serving three parishes at the time and was unable to attend but a group of us decided to get together and discuss possibilities. When we met the first time with glad hearts the pastors wife attended as well. As discussion started pastors wife immediately stated that pastor was very hurt that he wasn't included. He later confirmed this, stating this was "his calling and not ours". A youth program was to have evolved from this effort. Our pastor is loving and speaks the truth to us if we are in church. He encourages no community evangelism and has given up on the youth in his own words. I know now it wasn't bad parenting at all....It is us and our pastor. I realize now that apathy comes from the fact that we are not allowed to share in Gods work and we do nothing to teach the danger of that. Now we are running low on voters and money. The evangelism team died and we have no youth program. He says nothing matters but that he preach the word even if our church dies. I feel so helpless as most of the membership sits in a trance during Sunday service and looks at me like I have two heads if I dare to question. I have met with the pastor and he gives me no response. If you are a pastor and are reading this or a president please help. Pastors please admit that we all share in the responsibility of declining membership. I in no way wish to stereotype. I have visited growing LCMS churches lately but they have an entirely different approach to Shepherding and evangelism. With sincere love to you all! Roland Rushman