Changing Sea: The Changing Spirituality of Emerging Adults Project, The Institute for Policy Research & Catholic Studies, Catholic University of America

Directions for Faith Formation
with Emerging Adults:
Insights from the Changing Spirituality of Emerging Adults Project

John Roberto
Editor, Lifelong Faith Journal
Author, Faith Formation 2020: Designing the Future of Faith Formation
LifelongFaith Associates (www.lifelongfaith.com)

The fifteen essays in the Changing SEA project provide a substantive look at what research studies are telling us about the contemporary experience of emerging adults in America. The trends indicate less and less involvement of emerging adults in Sunday worship and congregational life, and declining affiliation with a religious tradition. Most congregations would readily admit that ministry and faith formation with emerging adults (18-29 years old) is one of their greatest challenges. To help congregations envision and design faith formation with emerging adults the following suggestions are offered as practical advice for applying some of the research findings from the Changing SEA Project to congregational ministry with emerging adults. The common thread that is woven throughout all of these suggestions is most important: Effective ministry with emerging adults is rooted in their life experience, and therefore addresses the diverse life tasks and situations, spiritual and religious needs, and interests of emerging adults today. To address the diversity of the emerging adult population, churches need to offer a variety of faith formation opportunities, involvements, and activities. Gone are the days of the “one size fits all” mentality.

Create environments in the congregation and in the community for the development of community and friendships.

In their article Carolyn McNamara Barry and Stephanie D. Madsen conclude that friends support emerging adult’s identity development by 1) providing feelings of worth as well as opportunities for storytelling and frank discussions; 2) contributing to how emerging adults feel about themselves; 3) supporting emerging adults’ understandings of how relationships work; 4) offering companionship during what can be a lonely time; and 5) developing skills that support ongoing and future romantic relationships. Building community and developing friendships need to be incorporated into all ministry and faith formation with emerging adults. Churches that do an exceptional job of attracting and involved emerging adults find that community is vital to the emerging generations. Emerging adults long to be deeply invested in others and have others deeply invested in them. They desire to be a major part of each other’s lives—the day-to-day, big and small “stuff of life.” They also think that others should be a part of the most important aspect of their lives—their spiritual journey. Churches that are effective at attracting and developing young adults place a high value on moving people into a healthy small group system. Young adults are trying to connect and will make a lasting connection wherever they can find belonging in a congregation. Here are several examples of ministries that develop strong community life with young adults: 1) “The Crossing” at St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral, Boston (www.thecrossingboston.org); 2) “Kairos Young Adult Ministry” at Brentwood Baptist Church, Nashville (www.brentwoodbaptist.com/karios); 3) “20something” at North Coast Church, Vista, CA (www.northcoastchurch.com; http://northcoast20something.com); and 4) Church of the Apostles, Seattle, WA (www.apostleschurch.org).

Engage emerging adults in short-term and long-term service and social justice projects—locally and globally—that connect faith and action, and promote engagement in the faith community.

The “Teach for America” generation has the desire and energy to address social problems, serve those in need, care for creation, and work for justice. In their article Casey Clevenger and Wendy Cadge report that religious practice and beliefs influence whether emerging adults volunteer, and that religious individuals are much more likely to be engaged in their communities and work on community projects. They remind us that if we want to encourage young adults to participate in service we need flexible opportunities that enable them to volunteer. In their article James Youniss and Hugh McIntosh identify three key insights about the political and civic behavior of emerging adults that reinforce the impact that service and work justice has. “First, sponsors of service recruit volunteers and organize the doing of service, which ripples out to affiliated organizations. Second, whereas the character of young people probably does not vary over time, mobilization efforts by colleges, churches, and nonprofit organizations have made decided impacts on rates and quality of service. Third, emerging adults who do service for the sake of social justice are likely to remain engaged well into the future.”

Clevenger and Cadge emphasize that “young adults need to be invited into service.” The research of Stetzer, Stanley, and Hayes affirms these findings: Churches that are transforming young adults value leading people to serve through volunteerism. Young adults want to be part of something bigger than themselves and are looking to be part of an organization where they can make a difference through acts of service. Congregations can partner with a variety of service and justice organizations to offer emerging adults a range of service activities—locally, nationally, and globally—that are developmental in scope with projects geared to different levels of involvement and challenge: 1) local mission projects lasting anywhere from a few hours to one day in length; 2) short-term mission trips lasting anywhere from two to five days and requiring an overnight stay on location; 3) weeklong mission trips within the United States as well as to foreign countries, designed for those who are ready to take the next big step in service; 4) global expedition trips of ten to fourteen days that provide the opportunity to be immersed for a longer period in the targeted community and culture; and 5) personalized small group mission trips, organized around the interests and time of the group. (For a great example of this developmental approach, go to Ginghamsburg Church and download a copy of their adult missions catalog: http://ginghamsburg.org/missions.)

Support emerging adults in addressing the career, work, and economic issues in their lives, while connecting faith to these issues.

Joan Gray Anderson and Barbara M. Newman point out that current economic trends suggest financial self-sufficiency is becoming more difficult for young adults to achieve, especially in light of the economic downturn of 2007-2009. College graduates carry sizable education loans, and, for many, the jobs that they are seeking are in short supply. A combination of delayed age of marriage and difficult economic times contribute to the increased likelihood that emerging adults will continue to live in their parents’ home. (In 2008 25% of all emerging adults 25-29 years old, about 5 million, lived with their parents or other relatives.) To obtain financial independence, emerging adults will need to be more deliberate about choosing an education and career, and more strategic in their spending, saving, and use of credit. Congregations can provide assistance to emerging adults in a variety of ways, such as career mentoring, job fairs, and money management guidance. Every congregation has men and women in the workforce who can provide important information and connections for emerging adults about career and jobs, and who can become career mentors for emerging adults. Congregations can provide job fairs to connect emerging adults with employers in the congregation and wider community. Epiphany Church in Katy, Texas (outside Houston) has been helping connect candidates with companies for the past 12 years as part of their outreach ministry. Their summer 2010 event drew approximately 1,000 candidates to visit with representatives from more than 50 companies. Congregations can also help emerging adults manage their finances (and debt) by offering programs, such as Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University (www.daveramsey.com/fpu).

Use Web 2.0 technologies and digital media to connect with emerging adults and engage them in faith formation experiences.

In their article Jill Dierberg and Lynn Schofield Clark write, “Young adults utilize digital media for engendering and maintaining relational connections and sharing real-life experiences, and they continue to find their life experiences meaningfully articulated in popular media such as television programs, films, and popular music…Emerging adults simply need a space to express themselves with others their age and an outlet that gives expression to their shared experiences.” Churches that are reaching young adults are willing to communicate in a language of technology familiar to young adults; and young adults sense that these churches are welcoming churches that value and understand them, engaging them where they are. Congregations that are reaching young adults have a “young adult friendly” website that can be a focal point for connecting with them and providing faith formation content and experiences, whether this is part of the church website or a dedicated website. Congregations that are reaching young adults are present in their virtual world on Facebook and other social networking sites. Congregations can utilize the new web-based and digital technologies (iPod Touch, iPad, smart cell phones) and resources to connect with emerging adults, connect them to each other and the congregation, and blend face-to-face faith formation in physical places with faith formation in virtual spaces, providing 24x7x365 faith formation anytime and anywhere—reaching emerging adults wherever they are (home, work, school, coffee house, gym). These new technologies and digital media provide the means to connect with emerging adults, provide online experiences to explore faith and spirituality, engage in spiritual conversations with others, share their stories and faith experiences, and give witness to the ways they are living their faith. These new digital resources will come in a variety of forms: 1) multimedia digital “books” such as the new Glo Bible on DVD (www.bibleglo.com) with HD video, 2) apps for the iPhone and iPad, 3) websites rich in content and connection such as Bible Mesh for learning the Bible (www.biblemesh.com), Busted Halo for Catholic faith formation (www. bustedhalo.com), MethodX for spiritual development (www.upperroom.org/methodx), and Patheos for world religions and spirituality (www.patheos.com).

Develop a multi-dimensional formation process for marriage that deepens the faith of the couple, prepares them for married life, provides mentoring and support, and continues formation and support in the early years of marriage.

Marriage provides an excellent opportunity for congregations to reconnect with young adults and for young adults to deepen their faith and reconnect with a congregation. In her article Annette Mahoney summarizes the key findings of the positive impact religion has on married life in these words, “Over the past 30 years, slightly higher marital satisfaction has been tied to going to religious services frequently and belonging to a religious tradition. Similarity of husband and wife on religious attendance and affiliation also slightly boosts marital satisfaction. …Emerging adults should seek healthy ways of integrating faith into their pursuit of family relationships, and communities of faith should not be silent about their faith’s contribution to relational well-being” (Mahoney).

With the average age of marriage rising into the later 20s and with the stresses of married life today, it becomes more and more important the churches develop a comprehensive, multi-faceted formation process for couples preparing for marriage that includes skills for married life, as well as formation in faith. For many emerging adults marriage will be a “moment of return”—providing churches with an opportunity to build a new relationship with young adult couples that can lead to an invitation to grow spiritually and become more actively engaged in the church community. A multi-dimensional formation process for marriage can include: 1) face-to-face and online faith formation experiences designed around young adult life issues and spiritual/religious needs, 2) workshops on skills for married life (communication, time management, money management, managing household life), 3) married couples who serve as mentors and can provide support for the new couple through marriage preparation and the first years of marriage, 4) continuing formation, resources, and support (online, face-to-face small groups, large group programs) through the first years of marriage, 5) reunion gatherings every six months, 6) monthly e-newsletter for married couples, and 7) anniversary celebrations in the congregation.

Provide pastoral care—educational programs and support groups—that promote positive development and address the mental health concerns and issues of emerging adults and, when needed, connect them to recommended mental health services in the community.

In her article on the mental health of emerging adults Jennifer Tanner observes, “Few programs are designed to meet emerging adults’ unique need for integrated services that combine goals of providing mental health care and developmental support. In fact, there are very few programs that help with either. In terms of mental health services, their age puts them at risk for falling through the cracks.” Congregations have an opportunity for a valuable ministry with emerging adults by addressing their mental health concerns and issues. As Jennifer Tanner notes “health education is one strengths-based initiative that may prove helpful to this age group.” Congregations can provide, and connect young adults to, a variety of programs and services that focus on both the developmental tasks and the mental health needs of emerging adults. “Facilitating one without helping the other is likely to reduce the effectiveness of efforts to help them” (Tanner). For example, congregations can provide (or connect emerging adults to): 1) workshops and online programs/resources that develop life skills (e.g., communication, relationship-building and maintaining, coping with stress, decision-making, conflict resolution); 2) support groups to promote healing during times of loss, sudden change, unexpected crises, problems, and family or personal transitions; 3) Christian 12-Step programs for those struggling with addictions or life-controlling issues; and 4) connection to support services and appropriate counseling resources.

These are only a few of the research-based directions for ministry and faith formation that emerge from the fifteen essays in the Changing SEA Project. The Changing SEA Project provides a wealth of information for developing research-based approaches to ministry and faith formation with emerging adults that is rooted in their life experience, and addresses their diverse life tasks and situations, spiritual and religious needs, and interests today.

Belzer, Tobin, Richard W. Flory, Nadia Roumani, and Brie Loskota. “Congregations That Get It: Understanding Religious Identities in the Next Generation.” Passing on the Faith: Transforming Traditions for the Next Generation of Jews, Christians, and Muslims. James Heft, editor. New York: Fordham University Press, 2006.

Connecting Young Adults to Catholic Parishes. USCCB Committee for Laity. Washington: USCCB Publishing, 2010.

Flory, Richard W. and Donald E. Miller. Finding Faith: The Spiritual Quest of the Post-Boomer Generation. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2008.

Glenn, Mike. In Real Time: Authentic Young Adult Ministry as It Happens! Nashville: B&H Publishing, 2009.

Hayes, Mike. Googling God: The Religious Landscape of People in their 20s and 30s. New York: Paulist Press, 2007.

Merritt, Carol Howard. Reframing Hope: Vital Ministry in a New Generation. Herndon: Alban Institute, 2010.

__________. Tribal Church: Ministering to the Missing Generation. Herndon: Alban Institute, 2007.

Richter, Don C. Mission Trips that Matter: Embodied Faith for the Sake of the World. Nashville: Upper Room Books, 2008.

Stetzer, Ed, and Richie Stanley, and Jason Hayes. Lost and Found: The Younger Unchurched and the Churches that Reach Them. Nashville: B&H Publishing, 2009.