Young Adults and Single Adults: A Look at USA and Church of the Nazarene Trends

Annual Births in U.S “Busters” Now age Gen. X Now age Source: Statistical Abstract of the United States “Boomers” Now age 44-62

Youth & Young Adults in U.S. Population – Source: Statistical Abstract of the United States

U.S. Age Group Projections Source: Statistical Abstract of the United States Projected

Nazarene Youth Camp Attendance USA & Canada Source: Pastors’ Reports

Nazarene Youth Camp Percentage Participating Source: Pastors’ Reports

NYI & Sunday School Trends Source: Pastors’ Reports

Nazarene College Choices Source: Pastors’ Reports

Research Findings: Soul Searching The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers Religiously, American teens are complicated and "all over the map.“ American teenagers embrace particular religious beliefs and engage in deliberate practices. Faith for these teenagers is not just general identity or affiliation or cognitive belief, but also activated, practiced, and formed through specific religious and spiritual practices. Very, very few American adolescents are "spiritual but not religious". Sources: Soul Searching by Christian Smith with Melinda Lundquist Denton, pages

Research Findings: Soul Searching We are not highly effective in fostering clarity and articulacy about our beliefs & culture. Where religious faith and practice are important teens tend to have religious lives constructed relationally and institutionally to intersect and overlap with other important aspects of their lives. Parents and other adults exert huge influence in the lives of American adolescents. Overall there is a positive association between greater religious involvement and more positive outcomes in life. Sources: Soul Searching by Christian Smith with Melinda Lundquist Denton, pages

Strong Families: Key to Youth Retention Shared religious commitment of parents intentionally passed on Positive relationship between parents and children Traditional family structure Fewer social disruptions (moves, divorce, etc.) Fit of individual’s status and ideology with religious group Source: Smith & Sikkink, Review of Religious Research, 2003, 45:

Age at First Marriage Source: Infoplease

Household Types Source: U.S. Census Bureau publication, America’s Families & Living Arrangements 2000, page 3

U.S. Trends & Nazarenes Sources: U.S. Census Bureau publication, America’s Families & Living Arrangements 2000, page 10 and U.S. Congregational Life Survey, 2001