- In studies I’ve read it is reported that between one-third to one-half leave in the years between Sunday school and youth. They don’t survive the transitions with relationships and faith in tact.
- Regarding young adults leaving, studies usually report about two-thirds leaving the faith. Why?
Turning this around isn’t complicated:
- Learn the keys to transitions (resource below)
- Learn the why and how of a thriving intermediate ministry (keys below)
- Learn why ‘reasons’ for faith is such a vital component with ages 11 to 15, to not lose ages 18 to 25.
This really isn’t difficult – and achievable if we believe in the merits of people knowing Jesus.
Regarding the intermediate age…
David Goodwin did a study on this – full study found free online here.
Take-aways are as follows
- Around 50% of children raised in churches stop attending during pre-adolescence.
- Strong relationships with church adults significantly influence children’s church retention.
- Churches often lack structured strategies for transitioning children to youth and adult congregations.
- Peer pressure and lack of acceptance are primary reasons for children’s departure from church.
- Seven key recommendations for enhancing Children’s Ministry aim to improve retention and faith development.
At this age, the relational dynamic seems to be at the core of the issue.
The fact that intermediates are in a “no man’s land” – being too old for Sunday school, while too young for youth group, is a key factor.
A solution is, of course, to recognise them as their own age demographic.
NZ resources have been created to help church leaders turn this around:
- Learn the keys to transitions – which Neville Bartley shares with great wisdom (Summary sheet) – found via https://christianyouthunity.nz/attrition/
- Learn both why and how to get your intermediate ministry thriving – which Ben MacGregor shares about with wisdom – positioning youth ministries for a greater level of growth than most will ever achieve by any other means – found via https://christianyouthunity.nz/attrition/
Regarding young adults…
Among the many studies I’ve read one thing rings true – youth need to be given REASONS for believing the faith to be rational, fair, just and true PRIOR to their young adult years. If this matter is not given focus, many will have no basis for holding firm to their earlier convictions regarding the faith.
This has been powerfully demonstrated in various studies.
- The ‘Fall Out’ study by Creation.com stands out. They did not find a single young adult in a university who had been taught reasons for believing the faith as a youth who wasn’t still in the faith – while the total of those they found who used to be Christian were the significant majority. Find this free online here.
- They highlighted that 70% of American young people consider faith and science to be in conflict. This directly represents the failure of Christian leaders to educate Christian intermediates and youth.
We have to understand we now live in a pluralistic culture. It is commonly assumed and stated that all religions are essentially the same. The ‘slag-off’ is to say a young person is only a Christian because their parents were – or similar. If true, our beliefs in our faith being true are just circumstantial – not real.
It is also true that people have spiritual experiences in other religions. This being the case, if there is no study made of the types of experiences, and the outcomes of them in terms of behaviour and societal good (or the lack of any measurable societal benefit – which is the point of contrast), the fact that they had an experience of the Holy Spirit can likewise come to mean nothing. The lies of our culture will have deceived them into equivocating all religions as the same.
‘Reasons for faith’ when ages 11, 12 and 15 is therefore the solution.
NZ resources have been created to help church leaders turn this around:
- Learn the keys to transitions – which Neville Bartley shares with great wisdom (Summary sheet) – found via https://christianyouthunity.nz/attrition/
- Understand exactly why ‘reasons’ is a fundamental – as was the topic of a podcast by Nic Blackie (Thinking Matters NZ) with Dave Mann (Godtalk/Shining Lights Trust) here.
Summary
Why bother with all our youth outreach if we are concurrently losing MORE young people through attrition?
It is possible to reduce the attrition ‘big-time’! It isn’t complicated:
- Learn the keys to transitions (resources above)
- Learn the why and how of a thriving intermediate ministry (resources above)
- Learn why ‘reasons’ for faith is such a vital component with ages 11 to 15, to not lose ages 18 to 25. (resources above)
What if every young adult entering youth ministry were taught these core things?
The difference would be TENS of thousands more young people in our youth groups – and a greater number of young adults in our churches!
