Younger people are more lonely than older people

When I visit a nursing home, I am struck by the tangible sense of loneliness in the place. I am not saying nursing homes are bad. In fact, I know many workers in those homes who put in great effort to make the home a place of joy and of relationship. But the reality is, many of the people living in a nursing home are experiencing loneliness. They are homesick. They wish they had family visit more. It is often an easy preaching point that we as church members should visit these people.

We should. But it also is true that this is not the loneliest cohort of people in America.

It may come as a surprise, but it is our young people who are most lonely in society.

As you can see from the graph above, as your birth age grows closer to the year 2000, the more likely you are to feel some sort of loneliness.

Community is changing

I say community is changing, but the truth is that the change has already occurred. Participation in clubs and organizations are way down. What used to be a major way for people to get together is no longer a popular choice.

So what?

This data really matters because the consequences for the lonely individuals are huge. Sometimes, the lack of community surrounding them is literally life and death.

The answer on reversing the trend is two-fold.

First, people need to break the bonds that keep them from exploring community. There are organizations and clubs that would love new members. One of the best ways to conquer loneliness is to apply yourself to a group. Commit to the group, make it a priority, and watch how your loneliness recedes.

Secondly, our organizations need to change. Many of our organizations are catered to performing their duties in a way that fits a crowd of people who are already experiencing high levels of satisfaction in their groups.What would the church organization look like if it were truly committed to the common individual that feels lonely in their own circumstance.

Churches don’t have to be large gatherings on a Sunday morning centered around preaching and singing. I truly believe that the future of church is one that takes on the loneliness crisis with serious concern and an openness to try new things in order to reach a people who are no longer accustomed to organized religion.

Shoutout to Ryan Burge for the graphs.

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