In a survey of young adults who had been engaged in the Church as children, the Renegotiating Faith group set out to understand the obstacles we are facing today. Research was guided by one question: How can we help our young adults stay connected to Church and faith as they transition into adulthood?

Their report focused on emerging adulthood, the period between ages 18-28 marked by life transition, identity exploration, and commitment renegotiation.

This means that as young adults leave high school and move on to new life experiences, they begin to try on new identities and to re-examine the beliefs they took for granted as children. The result is a delay in adult commitments —identity, career, and most significantly, faith.

The danger is that life transition can disrupt a young person’s access to Christian communities. This makes it difficult for them to locate their identity within the Church and negotiate meaningful roles that keep them coming back. Young adults who no longer identify within the Church will inevitably find an identity outside of it, as so many are already doing.

Thankfully, the report also found success stories. Young adults who stayed engaged with their faith reported  experiencing consistent godly mentorship and a sense of belonging within a Christian community. Experiences like  these made all the difference.