The trouble with thinking that we have failed in ministry is that it places tremendous weight on our human action. But the current state of the church is not simply a result of human action. It is also a result of the societal structures in which we minister. Christians are not the only ones trying to form people in a way of life. There are other powers that may be stronger than our efforts at formation. It is time to reframe our conversation in the church from one of failure to defeat. We are struggling to transmit our message from one generation to another because there are powerful structural forces that make it less likely for people to consider religious affiliation and church membership in the first place.