New studies show young people are out of church, drums are in

New studies show young people are out of church, drums are in
Tags: Research, Seminaries & Education, Worship, Worship and Music, Youth
January 3, 2007

Church leaders have to understand who they are trying to reach. Who are you trying to communicate with in your community. Is it young people? Men? People of various races or cultural backgrounds?

Two studies published recently reveal that while Christianity is thriving among young adults (late teens to late 20s), church attendance isn’t necessarily thriving alongside it. Growing churches are increasing via men and multi-racial attenders.

Let’s look at the young people first. In a feature story from PBS, NewsHour Special Correspondent Judy Woodruff explored the findings of a Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life report that uncovered the same phenomenon of 21st Century American Christianity that researcher and author George Barna disclosed in his 2005 book, Revolution. Namely, that many young Christians have divorced their faith from traditional congregational church life.

According to the Pew report, 44 percent of young adults in America agree that religion is a very important part of their lives. Yet, Barna says approximately 60 percent of people in their 20s who attended church in their teens are now disengaged.

Not surprisingly, Baylor University says there is an over-representation of evangelicals among the young and a significant over-representation of the young in the "religiously unaffiliated" category.

Could a leading hallmark of being evangelical now mean no church affiliation? Woodruff found more young people talking about a "personal relationship with God" than active participation in a congregation.

One could argue that this gaffe in practical theology has led to what Barna and others have noted as a liberal shift in the overall beliefs of evangelicals. Younger believers subscribe less to the authority of the Bible—presumably in favor of that personal relationship. That makes sin difficult to define. And, impossible to point out within a community of believers that doesn’t exist for young Christians winging it on their own.

But what about the people who are coming to church? The Christian Science Monitor gives us another view of the churchgoing trend with a look at the findings of a recent study from the Hartford Institute for Religion Research, a nonprofit research group at Hartford Seminary in Hartford, Conn.

The Monitor reports that four factors seem to influence church growth:

"While most US churches continue to be predominantly of one race and to count more women than men in their pews, the HIRR survey of almost 900 congregations found growth is most likely when:

• A church is multiracial.

• Men make up at least 60 percent of regular participants.

• Leaders describe worship as "slightly to not at all" reverent.

• Drums or percussion are always used in worship."

Of course simply tacking this list to your church's New Year’s resolutions probably won’t work. The Hartford report also found these truths about church growth:

§ Congregations that change worship format and style are more likely to grow. More than half the congregations that use contemporary styles of worship have experienced substantial growth since 2000. Frequency is important as well: The more worship services a congregation holds, the more likely it is to have grown.

§ Congregations located in new suburbs are more likely to experience growth. But, surprisingly, the second best area for growth is the downtowns of metropolitan areas.

§ Congregations that have experienced major conflict are quite likely to have declined in attendance. The strongest indicator of growth is the absence of serious conflict.

§ Congregations that have started or maintained a website in the past year are most likely to grow. The effort to have a website indicates that the congregation looks outward and is open to change through non-traditional means.

§ While most congregations in America are composed of a single racial or ethnic group, those that are multi-racial are most likely to have experienced strong growth in worship attendance.

§ More important than theological orientation is the religious character of the congregation and clarity of mission and purpose. Growing churches are clear about why they exist and about what they are to be doing – "purpose-driven growth."

§ Congregations that involve children in worship are more likely to experience significant growth. The ability of congregations to attract young adults and children with families also helps propel growth.

§ Almost all congregations say they want to grow, but doing so takes intentionality and action. Congregations that developed a plan to recruit members in the last year were more likely to grow than congregations that had not. Particularly helpful was sponsorship of a program or event to attract non-members, or the existence of support groups.

Happy reading. Happy Growing. Happy New Year.