Thank God for Young Adults
I read the following news in yesterday's Religion Today Summary from Christianity Today:
New Study of U.S. Catholics Cites Young Adults as Problem for Church
The U.S. Catholic Church's relationship with younger adults is problematic, says a newly published study by four leading sociologists of religion, Catholic News Service reports. In one recent survey "just over half of American Catholics said that young adults' lack of participation in the church is a serious problem," the 205-page book says. That concern was reflected not just by older Catholics, but even by nearly half of the younger adult Catholics surveyed, it says.
I suspect young adults are not just MIA in Catholic Churches, but it most Protestant Churches as well. I can even understand why some young people turn away from the church when it is more focused on politics and positions than it is on Jesus. But what I find really disturbing about the piece is that "just over half of American Catholics said that young adults' lack of participation in the church is a serious problem." That says to me that about 50% do not see this discontinuity between the generations and the church as being important. Or even worse, that older church attenders are so preoccupied with their own concerns that they don't care about the next generation.
I am glad to be part of a church family that brims with young adults, teens, children, and babies. May their tribe increase. I made an appearance in our new members class Sunday to share a little about the history of our church and help our newbies see that the people before them had laid down a solid foundation of faith and ministry which they have now inherited and in turn must pass on to succeeding generations. All ten in attendance were in their twenties. That comforted me. Enon Chapel is concerned with being a multigenerational family of faith and is making strides in accomplishing that feat by reaching young adults. I praise God for that.
