Luther and the congregation in Wittenberg

From Martin Brecht, "Martin Luther:  Shaping and Defining the Reformation", p. 292.

I have thought that Luther's lambasting of morals of the Wittenberg congregation was an emphasis perhaps unfairly placed by Roman Catholic so-called apologists (or some say "e-pologists").  But apparently, he was indeed quite disgusted with the congregation and refused to preach to it at times and for protracted periods because they were not listening.  All this lead to the emphasis on training the young, the catechisms and education, a good result in the end.

"The obvious difficulties that Luther and his message confronted in the congregations call for serious thought.  They cannot have arisen because of the quality of his sermons.  Both in form and in content the sermons are impressive still today and have scarcely been excelled.  Undoubtedly, the advice in them was both specific and understandable at that time.  Luther appears to have had less a problem with morality in the customary sense.  Cursing, excessive drinking, offenses against property, and sexual offenses did occur in Wittenberg, of course, but Luther was more offended by the lack of support for the preachers and the failure to perform acts of charity. We note that there was no mention of a group in the congregation that was decisively significant for the gospel;  the evangelical clergy, who apparently had a good collegial relationship, seem in their activity to have maintained a certain distance from the passive, receptive congregation.  In fact, there was no circle of those who "wanted to be serious Christians."  More intense didactic preaching of the law--as Luther, with Melanchthon's approval intended--could do nothing to change this situation.  Luther himself placed his hopes on winning the youth, but one could not anticipate what sort of new forms of congregational life would develop.  Evangelical preaching by itself apparently had limited possibilities.  The concept of the priesthood of all believers meant that the congregation, or segments of it, would have to assume a Christian responsibility in another way beyond the family or the state institutions, but there were not even the initial indications of such an undertaking.  Luther's new order opened no new possibilities here, inasmuch as the difficulties which were arising were caused by it, and these difficulties were ones that also could not be overcome by it."

It is very difficult to change adults with brains that are shaped.  The youth needs much proper attention.  What is the youth getting these days?