The Challenge of The Challenge of Connecting With Today’s Connecting With Today’s

Emerging GenerationEmerging Generation

Part 1: Changes in how young people Part 1: Changes in how young people grow upgrow up

Part 2: Changes in their perceptions of Part 2: Changes in their perceptions of ChristianityChristianity

Part 1: Changes In How Contemporary Part 1: Changes In How Contemporary Young People Grow UpYoung People Grow Up

Useful Sources:Useful Sources:

Jeffrey Jensen Arnett, “Emerging Adulthood”Jeffrey Jensen Arnett, “Emerging Adulthood”

““Spirituality in Higher Education:” A major Spirituality in Higher Education:” A major continuing “study of college students’ continuing “study of college students’ search for meaning and purpose” search for meaning and purpose” (www.spirituality.ucla.edu)(www.spirituality.ucla.edu)

A New Life-Phase Between Adolescence and A New Life-Phase Between Adolescence and Adulthood Began With “Generation X”Adulthood Began With “Generation X”

““Emerging adulthood” is a distinct new Emerging adulthood” is a distinct new period of life between adolescence and period of life between adolescence and adulthood (age 18-25). It has only adulthood (age 18-25). It has only emerged recently among the post-emerged recently among the post-industrialized countries of the West, industrialized countries of the West, Japan, and South Korea. Not everyone Japan, and South Korea. Not everyone experiences it (this life phase is less experiences it (this life phase is less common among minority groups and the common among minority groups and the poor). poor).

How Do You Measure Adulthood?How Do You Measure Adulthood?

The Criteria Young People Feel Are Most The Criteria Young People Feel Are Most Important for Becoming an “Adult:”Important for Becoming an “Adult:”

Accept Responsibility for YourselfAccept Responsibility for Yourself Make Independent DecisionsMake Independent Decisions Become Financially IndependentBecome Financially Independent

All of these are achieved gradually.All of these are achieved gradually.

Five Main Features of Life as an Five Main Features of Life as an Emerging AdultEmerging Adult

Identity Exploration Identity Exploration InstabilityInstability Self-FocusedSelf-Focused Feeling in-between (in transition, neither Feeling in-between (in transition, neither

adolescent nor adult) adolescent nor adult) It is the age of possibilities. Hope It is the age of possibilities. Hope

flourishes. You can transform your life flourishes. You can transform your life and become who you want to be (as long and become who you want to be (as long as it’s different from your parents) as it’s different from your parents)

Factors Leading to the Emergence Factors Leading to the Emergence of “Emerging Adulthood”of “Emerging Adulthood”

Young people are waiting longer and Young people are waiting longer and longer to marry and have children longer to marry and have children (prolonged singleness = freedom to (prolonged singleness = freedom to explore who I may become).explore who I may become).

More people are spending more time in More people are spending more time in higher education.higher education.

Prolonged job instability.Prolonged job instability.

Reasons for Delay of Marriage and Reasons for Delay of Marriage and Parenthood Parenthood

Birth controlBirth control Less stringent rules of sexual moralityLess stringent rules of sexual morality Marriage and family are seen as perils to Marriage and family are seen as perils to

be avoided (loss of independence, be avoided (loss of independence, spontaneity, and possibility)spontaneity, and possibility)

Single women are no longer seen as Single women are no longer seen as abnormalabnormal

Young people take their time to find the Young people take their time to find the perfect “soul mate” (the #1 requirement).perfect “soul mate” (the #1 requirement).

““Shacking Up” Is Now the NormShacking Up” Is Now the Norm

At least 2/3 now live with a romantic At least 2/3 now live with a romantic partner before marriage.partner before marriage.

Some use “semi-cohabiting” to avoid Some use “semi-cohabiting” to avoid conflict with parents.conflict with parents.

62% of 20-29 year-olds agree that “living 62% of 20-29 year-olds agree that “living together with someone before marriage is together with someone before marriage is a good way to avoid eventual divorce.” a good way to avoid eventual divorce.”

But cohabitation actually increases the But cohabitation actually increases the odds of divorce.odds of divorce.

Cohabiting Is Not Only Immoral, Cohabiting Is Not Only Immoral, But. . .But. . .

““According to a substantial body of According to a substantial body of research, marriage has a variety of research, marriage has a variety of positive effects on psychological health, positive effects on psychological health, financial well-being, and emotional well-financial well-being, and emotional well-being that cohabitation does not.” being that cohabitation does not.”

Prolonged College ExperienceProlonged College Experience

Now 2/3 of young people go straight from Now 2/3 of young people go straight from high school to college (though half of high school to college (though half of freshmen fail to graduate).freshmen fail to graduate).

One-third of college graduates go straight One-third of college graduates go straight to graduate school.to graduate school.

High school isn’t taken very seriously. High school isn’t taken very seriously. Only 35% agreed that “My high school Only 35% agreed that “My high school education prepared me well for the education prepared me well for the workplace.” workplace.”

Prolonged College ExperienceProlonged College Experience

College is seen as at time for finding out College is seen as at time for finding out what you want to do. what you want to do.

Satisfaction is measured in terms of Satisfaction is measured in terms of personal growth. personal growth.

Getting a degree is talking longer because Getting a degree is talking longer because of uncertainty over what to study, too of uncertainty over what to study, too much “beer and circus,” and financial much “beer and circus,” and financial struggles. struggles.

Prolonged Job InstabilityProlonged Job Instability

The high-paying manufacturing jobs of the The high-paying manufacturing jobs of the 50s and 60s have disappeared. 50s and 60s have disappeared.

Adjusted for inflation, from 1973 to 1997, Adjusted for inflation, from 1973 to 1997, the average earnings for a full-time male the average earnings for a full-time male worker under age 25 declined by almost worker under age 25 declined by almost 1/3. 1/3.

Emerging Adults measure their ideal job in Emerging Adults measure their ideal job in terms of how it clicks with their developing terms of how it clicks with their developing identity. identity.

Prolonged Job InstabilityProlonged Job Instability

The average American now holds seven to The average American now holds seven to eight different jobs between age 18 and eight different jobs between age 18 and 30. 30.

Many experience the “quarter-life crisis:” Many experience the “quarter-life crisis:” how to choose a job when I don’t know how to choose a job when I don’t know myself well enough to decide what I want myself well enough to decide what I want to do? to do?

Spiritual Trends Among Spiritual Trends Among Emerging AdultsEmerging Adults

Two main themes: Diversity of beliefs and Two main themes: Diversity of beliefs and determination to think for themselves. determination to think for themselves.

Participating in a religious institution is Participating in a religious institution is unimportant to most of them, and most unimportant to most of them, and most rarely or never attend religious services. rarely or never attend religious services.

Openness to accepting all religions as Openness to accepting all religions as equal.equal.

Openness to reincarnation, witchcraft, Openness to reincarnation, witchcraft, occult, The Force, etc.occult, The Force, etc.

Four Categories of Emerging Four Categories of Emerging Adults’ Religious BeliefsAdults’ Religious Beliefs

Agnostic/Atheist: 22%Agnostic/Atheist: 22% Deist: 28% (spiritual but not religious)Deist: 28% (spiritual but not religious) Liberal Believer: 27% (I have a faith, but Liberal Believer: 27% (I have a faith, but

yours is O.K. too)yours is O.K. too) Conservative Believer: 23% (my faith is Conservative Believer: 23% (my faith is

the one true faith)the one true faith)

Emerging Adults Discard the Faith Emerging Adults Discard the Faith of Their Youthof Their Youth

““Emerging adults’ religious beliefs have Emerging adults’ religious beliefs have surprisingly little connection to their religious surprisingly little connection to their religious training in childhood and adolescence.” training in childhood and adolescence.”

About 60% of Emerging Adults had “high About 60% of Emerging Adults had “high exposure” to religious training in childhood. exposure” to religious training in childhood.

““In statistical analyses, there was In statistical analyses, there was nono relationship relationship between exposure to religious training in between exposure to religious training in childhood and childhood and anyany aspect of their religious aspect of their religious beliefs as emerging adults.” beliefs as emerging adults.”

Emerging Adults Discard the Faith Emerging Adults Discard the Faith of Their Youthof Their Youth

““Certainly, there are cases where children Certainly, there are cases where children grow up to hold the same beliefs as their grow up to hold the same beliefs as their parents, but such cases are too rare to parents, but such cases are too rare to show up in statistical analyses of groups, show up in statistical analyses of groups, because it is much more common for because it is much more common for children to hold different beliefs from their children to hold different beliefs from their parents by the time they reach emerging parents by the time they reach emerging adulthood.” adulthood.”

Emerging Adults Discard the Faith Emerging Adults Discard the Faith of Their Youthof Their Youth

Emerging Adults see it as their personal Emerging Adults see it as their personal responsibility to deliberately develop a set responsibility to deliberately develop a set of religious beliefs that is uniquely their of religious beliefs that is uniquely their own. Participation in a religious institution own. Participation in a religious institution is thus an intolerable compromise of their is thus an intolerable compromise of their individuality. Carrying on their parents’ individuality. Carrying on their parents’ religious tradition would represent a failure religious tradition would represent a failure in their responsibility to think for in their responsibility to think for themselves. themselves.

Emerging Adults Discard the Faith Emerging Adults Discard the Faith of Their Youthof Their Youth

Emerging Adults’ wariness of religious Emerging Adults’ wariness of religious institutions is also based on negative institutions is also based on negative experiences which led them to view experiences which led them to view churches as bastions of corruption and churches as bastions of corruption and hypocrisy. “For those who reject religious hypocrisy. “For those who reject religious institutions, it is usually not because they institutions, it is usually not because they are self-absorbed but because they doubt are self-absorbed but because they doubt the morality of those institutions.” the morality of those institutions.”

Part 2: Changes in Our Culture’s Part 2: Changes in Our Culture’s Perception of Christians/The ChurchPerception of Christians/The Church

Useful Sources:Useful Sources:

Dan Kimball, “They Like Jesus But Not the Dan Kimball, “They Like Jesus But Not the Church”Church”

David Kinnaman (from the Barna Group) David Kinnaman (from the Barna Group) and Gabe Lyons, “UnChristian: What a and Gabe Lyons, “UnChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks About New Generation Really Thinks About Christianity.”Christianity.”

Dan Kimball’s Six Common Dan Kimball’s Six Common Perceptions of the ChurchPerceptions of the Church

The Church is an Organized Religion with a The Church is an Organized Religion with a Political AgendaPolitical Agenda

The Church is Judgmental and NegativeThe Church is Judgmental and Negative The Church is Dominated by Males and The Church is Dominated by Males and

Oppresses FemalesOppresses Females The Church is HomophobicThe Church is Homophobic The Church Arrogantly Claims that All Other The Church Arrogantly Claims that All Other

Religions are WrongReligions are Wrong The Church is Full of Fundamentalists Who The Church is Full of Fundamentalists Who

Take the Bible LiterallyTake the Bible Literally

Dave Kinnaman’s Six Broad Themes Dave Kinnaman’s Six Broad Themes of Negative Christian Stereotypesof Negative Christian Stereotypes

The first number is young outsiders; the second The first number is young outsiders; the second number is young churchgoers.number is young churchgoers.

HypocriticalHypocritical (85%; 47%) (85%; 47%) Too Focused on Getting ConvertsToo Focused on Getting Converts (70%; 29%) (70%; 29%) Anti-homosexuaAnti-homosexual (91%; 80%)l (91%; 80%) ShelteredSheltered (72%; 32%) (72%; 32%) Too PoliticalToo Political (75%; 50%) (75%; 50%) JudgmentalJudgmental (87% 52%) (87% 52%)This is what a new generation really thinks about This is what a new generation really thinks about

you and me!you and me!

As Kinnaman says, “Christianity has an image As Kinnaman says, “Christianity has an image problem.” And it’s not just with outsiders. Even problem.” And it’s not just with outsiders. Even Christian young people display the same Christian young people display the same skepticism toward present-day Christianity.skepticism toward present-day Christianity.

Today’s young people are inherently skeptical, Today’s young people are inherently skeptical, savvy, and jaded.savvy, and jaded.

They will not trust us to teach them unless we They will not trust us to teach them unless we build sincere, safe relationships with them first.build sincere, safe relationships with them first.