The New Conference of the Old German Baptist Brethren, a conservative church denomination with 37 congregations nationwide, is struggling to retain its congregants. Young members, especially, are questioning denominational standards, sometimes moving away from their childhood community.

The church’s intensely conservative principles seem to play a strong part in driving younger members away. Though church members interact regularly with modern society—in their professions, upper-level education, and friendships with denominational outsiders—they adhere to pre-established standards of dress and entertainment. Typically, woman wear head coverings and long dresses, and members shun pop culture and media entertainment.

Of course, this isn’t necessarily wrong: As Paul makes clear in his letter to the Corinthians, each Christian is bound by their own conscience—their beliefs about what is right. However, there can be danger in making non-Scriptural standards essential to universal Christian piety. Sometimes, peripheral practices become central ones, and matters of conscience morph into seeming boundaries of the faith.

Because of this, the drifting of young people from a church with strict rules is, in some ways, expected. Understandably, they feel the need to shed whatever rules they don’t see as essential or valuable.

With this as the background, some New Conference elders have opted to loosen denominational standards in an effort to keep young people inside the church’s walls. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing either. But the New Conference’s decision sets forth in microcosm a question that plagues the larger Christian church: Namely, how much is the church justified in loosening principles to enhance community engagement?

In answering this question, some churches have taken engagement to the extreme, using seemingly any method to draw the non-religious community into church doors. Some churches tout flashy musicians to make the music “relevant” or “engaging.” Others keep sermons short and entertaining, hoping to sneak their Christian beliefs into a barrage of comedy. And perhaps most extravagantly, a church near my home advertised free cheese curds for anyone who’d attend their service.

It’s true, of course, that bands or cheese curds can bring outsiders in, but what does it bring them in to? Churches that turn to flashy marketing techniques and popular attractions run the danger of minimizing what Christians believe. Here’s theologian David DeBruyn:

When [the church] clothes its message in trendy slogans and commercial schtick, it appears as if it is one more product being marketed. When it uses entertainments and amusements to create interest, it appears as if its message is weak and in need of marketing props. When it tries to appear wise and noble in the world’s eyes (or cool, hip, trendy, sick, whatever the word), it appears as if it is a sycophant of the world, limping between two loyalties. All of this shouts louder than words can say, ‘Yes, unbeliever, your dismissal of God is justified and normal! We, too, are bored with the plain Gospel! But look! We have some shiny attractions which we’ll give you, if you deign to patronize us with your attention!’

Ultimately, it’s possible that catering to people’s desires simply backfires. For the New Conference church, loosened principles have incited young people to feel more comfortable leaving the church community, as they’ve seen the distinction between church and the outside world blur.

In the end, the church should give neither more or less than Scripture demands. On the one hand, this means allowing for the freedom passages like 1 Corinthians 8 give to issues that are not addressed in Scripture. On the other hand, this means standing strong for the essence of what Christians believe—even, and especially, amidst a culture hungry for cheap thrills.

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