Losing Jesus in Church: Pastor Keith Nix on Rekindling a Christ-Centered Faith

Pastor Keith Nix of The Lift Church in Sevierville, Tennessee joins Philip Cameron to unpack the crisis explored in his book Losing Jesus in the Church — a sobering look at why 70–80% of young people walk away from the faith when they turn 18, and only 35% ever return. That means the church is losing roughly half its next generation, and Keith argues it's not a failure of the gospel — it's a failure of how we present it. Keith traces the problem to a slow drift from genuine encounter to religious routine: "We have focused on how can we entertain our children rather than how can we set them up for a genuine encounter with God." He points to a telling cultural shift — congregations that call the altar a "stage" have already signaled a deeper problem. Drawing on 1 Corinthians 2, he contrasts Paul's deliberate choice to preach "in demonstration and power of the Holy Spirit" over persuasive oratory, and echoes Paul's charge to Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:6 to "fan into a flame" a faith that is always in danger of going cold. Whether you are a pastor, a parent, or someone who drifted away yourself, this conversation is a practical and passionate call to intentionality. Get the book and study guide at keithNix.net or losingjesusinchurch.com.