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A longitudinal study of youth in the suburbs of Washington, DC, followed
youth who were active in the church at age 16 to see if they were active
at age 38. The purpose of the study was to determine if there were significant
variables that might serve as predictors of which youth would be active
as adults. Youth Drop Out One clear finding was the pervasiveness of the pattern of youth dropping
out of church at some point. Overall, 79% dropped out at some time, and
of them, 56% returned by the time they were re-interviewed as adults.
Adult Experiences Most Significant The research found that the adult experiences of the persons in the study
were more important in determining their church involvement as adults
than youth influences were. Religious upbringing, practices, or beliefs
did not stand out as predictor variables. One Major Exception – Youth Groups While none of the other variables in their youth experience could be
found to be a predictor that these youth would have active church involvement
as adults, there was one major exception – youth group participation. So, what religious aspects of childhood and youth have the most long-lasting
effects on the personal adult religious involvement of middle-class youth?
To the surprise of the researchers, it was not parents’ church attendance,
the amount that parents talked to their children about religion, frequency
of church attendance as a youth, years in a religious school, or years
in Sunday School. It was the amount of involvement in church youth programs.
Youth of all denominations who were more involved in church youth groups
of any kind were also more involved in church and in personal religious
practice as adults. All Things Are Not Equal? In all aspects of ministry, we need to identify not just good things
to do but things we can do that will make the most difference in lives.
Every dimension of youth ministry contributes to their formation as Christian
disciples. However, this study signals us to assess in a special way the
youth group ministry and participation in our churches. Perhaps the level
of youth group participation becomes one of the key indicators of the
spiritual health of the congregation that you and church leaders monitor
and work diligently to improve. It is easy to see youth group ministry as something beyond the primary
sight of the pastor, especially if there are staff and volunteers responsible
for youth ministry. This research indicates that participation in church
youth groups may need to move to the center of focus. Lovett H. Weems, Jr. Source: “The Relative Influence of Youth and Adult Experiences
on Personal Spirituality and Church Involvement,” by Thomas P. O’Connor,
Dean R. Hoge, and Estrelda Alexander, Journal for the Scientific Study
of Religion 41:4 (2002) 723-732. | |
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Predictors
of Youth Returning to Church as Adults