What it takes to reach young adults for Christ

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What it takes to reach young adults for Christ

Written by Calvin Fox

Thursday, 15 October 2009 14:56

The National Study of Youth and Religion, conducted from 2001 to 2005, was arguably the largest research project on the religious and spiritual lives of American adolescents. The results were analyzed in a groundbreaking book titled Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of Teenagers. The study, however, is ongoing. They are no longer teenagers, but “emerging adults” between the ages of 18 and 23.

Souls in Transition: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of Emerging Adults by Christian Smith and Patricia Snell reveals the findings of the study as it enters its next phase.

Among these young adults“ there are six major religious types:

Committed Traditionalists (no more than 15%)
Selective Adherents (perhaps 30%)
Spiritually Open (about 15%)
Religiously Indifferent (at least 25%)
Religiously Disconnected (no more than 5%)
Irreligious (no more than 10%)

Obviously the two main groups are the “Selective Adherents” and the “Religiously Indifferent.” Together, they constitute a majority. So what do these terms mean?

For the entire article see http://www.serioustimes.com/blog.asp?id=105

The lesson here for churches that want to reach young adults is that simply advertizing "All are Welcome Here" and making both the Services and the meeting place user friendly just won't work. What is necessary is to go out and get involved with them where they are, make friends, build relationships, share Christ one-on-one and then bring them to Church with you.

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