I'm a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America. The statistics about my denomination found in the Pew Religious Landscape Study of 2014 (Can be found here: www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study) are disheartening, but not unexpected. The following chart on the median age of various churches or groups in our country shows the PCA to be the oldest. In other words, the PCA is losing its children faster than any other group.

Based on other stats in the study and things I know about the PCA, I think one of the main issues has to do with a lack of good discipleship/training of our children. According to Deuteronomy 6, parents are to integrate three elements:

 

1. Teach God's Word

2. As it applies to situations in daily life as you encounter them

3. In the context of a loving relationship

 

I think too often we over rely on our denominational strength--teaching God's Word. Our children, then, are socialized (discipled) by their peers.