DALLAS (ABP) — Six out of 10 teens involved in a church will probably not continue their spiritual commitment into early adulthood, according to a Sept. 11 study by the Barna Group.
The study, conducted from 2001 to 2006, shows that despite previously high levels of spiritual activity, many people in their 20s lose interest in religious activities and often carry that apathy into middle age.
But the survey also found that 20 percent of people in their 20s maintain the same spiritual activities — like attending church, studying the Bible, donating money and using Christian media — they did in high school.
Nineteen percent of teens who did not participate in those activities remained disconnected from the Christian faith in adulthood.
David Kinnaman, the research director, said some experts question whether the disengagement is just a phase typical of that age or whether it is unique to the current generation. Both explanations have some merit, he said, but ultimately that debate misses the point.
“[The point] is that the current state of ministry to 20-somethings is woefully inadequate to address the spiritual needs of millions of young adults,” he said.
On the other hand, ministry to teens is thriving.
According to the report, half of the nation's 24 million teens attend some sort of church-related activity each week. More than 75 percent discuss faith with friends, and three out of five attend at least one youth group meeting at a church during a three-month period.
All told, more than 80 percent of teens attend church for at least two months during high school.
Kinnaman said teens are generally so receptive to matters of faith because of a certain willingness to explore their character, try new things and establish an identity.
“There are certainly effective youth ministries across the country, but the levels of disengagement among 20-somethings suggests that youth ministry fails too often at discipleship and faith formation,” he said.
As for those in their 20s, the transition from church kid to indifferent adult happens most often during college. And for most adults, the disengagement is not temporary.
According to the Barna report, even people in their 30s are less likely than older adults to be active in religion. Just two fifths of parents in their 30s regularly take their children to church, compared to half of parents who are older than 40. One out of every three parents in their 20s does the same.
The Barna report isn't all about a religious slip, though. When it comes to identifying with a religion, 78 percent of 20-somethings maintain allegiance to Christianity, compared with 83 percent of teens. Most young adults describe themselves as “deeply spiritual” as well, the study found.
In agreement with several other recent religion studies, however, the Barna study found that young adults feel little allegiance to a certain congregation or denomination. Almost 70 percent of them think if they cannot find a local church to “help them become more like Christ, then they will find people and groups that will, and connect with them instead of a local church.”
People in their 20s were also as likely as older Americans to attend “events not sponsored by a local church, to participate in a spiritually oriented small group at work, to have a conversation with someone else who holds them accountable for living faith principles, and to attend a house church not associated with a conventional church.”
The solution to the dichotomy, Kinnaman said, is not necessarily a youth ministry overhaul but a move toward developing sustainable faith in young people.
Youth ministries should be judged not by the number of attendees or the sophistication of events, he said. Instead, churches should focus on helping teens learn “commitment, passion and resources to pursue Christ intentionally and whole-heartedly after they leave the youth ministry nest.”
“Our team is conducting more research into what leads to a sustainable faith, but we have already observed some key enhancements that youth workers may consider,” he said. “One of those is to be more personalized in ministry. Every teen has different needs, questions and doubts, so helping them to wrestle through those specific issues and to understand God's unique purpose for their lives is significant.”
Another idea, he added, is to instill in teenagers a “biblical viewpoint.” That way, they'll process life — and its inevitable conflicts — through a godly worldview.
“This is not so much about having the right head knowledge as it is about helping teens respond to situations and decisions in light of God's principles for life,” he said.
Located in Ventura, Calif., the Barna Group collected data from interviews with 22,103 adults and 2,124 teenagers nationwide. Researchers used online and telephone surveys within the continental 48 states.
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