Ages 18-22 Make or Break

Perhaps you know the staggering data that suggests that 70-80% of students walk away from their faith after high school.  That number can be overwhelming, and a lot of factors are involved.  Perhaps, you are a parent of one of those students who have walked away or maybe, you are one of those people who walked away from your faith for a time.  There is always hope.  Obviously, we want to pour God into our kids, and I mentioned some vital steps to doing that yesterday.

But here is some more good news.  I was at an Orange Tour event this fall (something for ministry leaders) and heard some very insightful research that had been done.  “Among young adults ages 23-30 who stayed in church during ages 18-22, only 6 percent do not currently attend church.”

Let me break that down for you.  While most kids are walking away from God after high school, those that are staying connected from ages 18-22 will most likely continue to be life-long Christ-followers--94% of them, in fact.  So, a very critical age is 18-22.  As parents and church leaders, we must concentrate hard on effective ways to keep our young adults connected to Jesus during the years when they are making such major life-altering decisions.  What person in that age category can you help connect to God right now?  Give them a call, connect with them on Facebook, invite them out for a chat--push them towards Jesus!