It is not that they do not care – indeed, a recent study showed that 80 percent of people in their 20s insist their faith is very important in their lives.
It is not that they do not care – indeed, a recent study showed that
80 percent of people in their 20s insist their faith is very important in their
lives.
Nearly 60 percent claimed to have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ.
Three-fourths of the age group said they prayed during the past seven days.
Nevertheless, in a typical week, additional studies by the Barna Research Group
indicate that just three out of 10 twenty-somethings attend church.
In addition, only 30 percent of adults in their 20s donated something to a
church during the past year.
As well – that is the same percentage of those who said they have read
the Bible during any given week.
Despite the incongruity of such numbers, various religious leaders say they
are not surprised by the statistics.
“I think its pretty much straight up with what we see here,”
said Scotty Jernigan, pastor of The Crossroads Church at Belforest in Daphne,
Ala.
“They (twentysomethings) have not seen where church … and Christianity
relates to their everyday life.”
The bottom line is that American young adults are looking for something relevant
from the church – and coming up short, Jernigan suggested.
“One of the trends were noticing (is) people are looking for something
thats real,” agreed Charlie Granade, singles pastor at Dayspring
Baptist Church in Mobile, Ala.
“College students are looking for a worship service where theres
nothing fancy,” he said, adding that his church seeks to offer such an
experience during its “Unplugged” service on Monday nights.
During those services, one person may play a guitar and another may lead a
devotional, but the focus is on God, Granade said.
“I think people respond to that,” he noted. “Its not about
bells and whistles.”
If something appears fake to twenty-somethings, they sense that and simply
leave, Granade maintains.
“Our whole deal is – lets be real about God,” he emphasized.
“Lets be real about the problems we face.”
Jamey Crosson, 24, pointed out he and his peers grew up wanting to be popular
and “rule the school.” Now, he said he worries that same mindset is
creeping into some churches, and individuals are using worship services to promote
themselves.
Crosson said he does not like it.
Instead, he said he is working with Granade to create a worship service at
Dayspring Baptist Church where believers can “just meet with the Lord and
have him deal with us on an individual basis.
“We want to enter into a house of prayer,” he said. “We want
to confess. … We want to cry out and declare that we need his help. …
“We want to be as real before him as possible,” Crosson stressed.
Sally Morganthaler addressed just those desires in her recent book entitled
“Worship Evangelism: Inviting Unbelievers Into the Presence of God.”
She wrote: “Church is a place where we are supposed to be able to meet
God, but often we dont meet God there. Young people want to encounter
the other at church, but they are not finding it there.
“Theyre finding programs, theyre finding games, theyre
finding cute things to do, but theyre not finding an experience with the
other they assume is there somewhere in the world,” Morganthaler added.
“But just because they dont find it at church doesnt mean
theyre going to stop their search,” she continued. “Theyre
going to find it somewhere, and its the church that is missing out.”
Meanwhile, congregations are losing out by the absence of young adults who
have a unique experience of God and great enthusiasm, church leaders say.
In the past, some congregations may not have made much effort to reach young
adults, Granade acknowledged. Indeed, the group was viewed as relatively noncommittal
and poor financial contributors.
Now, while religious leaders admit young adults may be fairly transient or
financially strapped, they insist twentysomethings should not shy away from
getting involved in congregational life.
In fact, leaders said that while many young singles may not be able to be churches
major financial supporters, they often are in a prime position to volunteer
their time, perhaps in a soup kitchen or some other church ministry effort.
For instance, Alene Ferguson, 29, said she used to join a group of young adults
from Dayspring Baptist Church in serving at 15 Place, a service center for homeless
men and women in the community.
“It was just wonderful,” she said. “We really got to minister
to them.”
In looking for a church, Ferguson said she wanted to find a friendly community
with a singles group that offered fun and social activities, as well as opportunities
to minister to those in need.
“Most people are going to go out and do something,” she explained.
“Youre looking for the friendships and the companionships. … I
cant think of a better place to make friendships.” (RNS)