Jesus Creed » 20somethings and “Sustainable Faith”

I read this post recently at Jesus Creed about some statistics that have been produced on 20 somethings and their engagement with faith. 

A new study by The Barna Group (Ventura, California) shows that despite strong levels of spiritual activity during the teen years, most twentysomethings disengage from active participation in the Christian faith during their young adult years – and often beyond that. In total, six out of ten twentysomethings were involved in a church during their teen years, but have failed to translate that into active spirituality during their early adulthood.

Kinnaman offered several insights about the data: “Much of the ministry to teenagers in America needs an overhaul – not because churches fail to attract significant numbers of young people, but because so much of those efforts are not creating a sustainable faith beyond high school. There are certainly effective youth ministries across the country, but the levels of disengagement among twentysomethings suggest that youth ministry fails too often at discipleship and faith formation. A new standard for viable youth ministry should be – not the number of attenders, the sophistication of the events, or the ‘cool’ factor of the youth group – but whether teens have the commitment, passion and resources to pursue Christ intentionally and whole-heartedly after they leave the youth ministry nest.”

The challenge is what to do how to we capture the hearts of 20 somethings with all that God is calling them to?  How to we raise up youth with alive and vital faith, that will carry then into their 20s without fading?  How to we undo the damage done to those already living their 20s?

The answer that lay in my heart is to live it right, to show faith real and vital.  To be honest journeyers with them and not just the wise giving out the answers to the problems!  To give them faith and not religion!

Link to Jesus Creed » 20somethings and “Sustainable Faith”