Are Young Adults Still Attending Church?

[TJGospels]

At the larger church I used to attend, there was a relatively active young adults group, both formal and informal. That group "aged out" into their 30's and their numbers were not replenished in the late 2010's into the 2020's.

Same thing at the medium sized church I'm leaving, but on a proportionately smaller scale. 

Both churches also had active high school programs, which I assumed would replenish the 'young adult' church attendance in a few years.

Instead, post 2020, young adult attendance at both churches seemed to drop off to near zero. At the medium sized church, high school students simply stopped attending so there is no longer a high school program.

Kids and middle schoolers still attend, but they are still under the strong influence of their parents. Once activities ramp up in high school and these children have more freedom they are opting out of church in a major way.

What is the future of churches if entire age cohorts are opting out? How can the church possibly continue on with young people avoiding church?

[Guest]

The great falling away.

[teddyv]

Depends a lot on location.

We are in a small town. We have an active high school group. When kids get out of high school, many must move to attend university or other post-secondary training. There are very few of these aged kids in our church. We have seen a trickle back of some as they get married, have a kid and want to return to where they grew up.

In a previous church, we were in the suburbs of a major city so there were still more young adults who attended - I was in a small group Bible Study with many in their 20's.  We had one member, a prof at a local university, who set up a hospitality ministry for foreign students (most were not Christian) and they would meet at the church and come to services. Even though that prof has moved on, its still appears to be a thriving ministry.

 

[TheBlade]

 well its not the "falling away". That word can also mean departure as in what came before it "caught up". Its what use to be written in the bible

I agree depends on location. What we know is at the end all those people in heaven from every tribe ever nation..seems no man could number  Are we talking to young people? Or saying nothing to anyone? maybe just maybe part of the problem might be us. Are we going to Church.. just tossing out thoughts nothing more  All the TECH today does pull them away forsure

[TJGospels]

I just checked a local church. There is no more young adults group. It went from 3 dozen regular, attending members to zero in 6 years. 

Actually, active young adults groups in at least 3 or 4 churches have completely disappeared. 

Edited April 26, 2022 by TJGospels

[OneLight]

I live near a collage town and some churches do have a good population of younger people while some have none.  It all depends on what denomination it is, is it even a denomination, how they worship, what they do for the lost and other factors.  I guess the question is if they are geared toward the younger generation or do they have a routine of Stand, Sit, Kneel, Repeat?

[Sower]

Are Young Adults Still Attending Church?

Forty years ago the youth and young married couples were the majority in our church when we joined.
Today the majority has reversed, to mostly seniors and then some young marrieds etc.
Our grown children, 40 yrs +/-,  and their families attend churches where the the majority is young and middle age.
And the churches themselves are also relatively young with young pastors/elders.
There are seniors but their churches would be labeled primarily as a young crowd.
I see a cycle as our kids when older  gravitated to a church with more of their peers, young families to relate to.
And I agree with their choice to have friends their age to engage in church family activities.
Some day they will grow old the cycle will continue when their children seek to go out on their own. 
We're blessed to see our family grow up and be actively involved in their churches. (whatever the age)..

 

[Solly]

To my way of thinking, a physical building or "church" is just that, a building that in these times needs a lot of expensive maintenance.

A group of like-minded people are just as important to G-d as any church congregation, making the physical building superfluous.