1. Religious Research Association
A Young Adult Critique of the
American Baptist Churches
October 2016
Dr. C. Jeff Woods

2. Data set 143 respondents to an online survey in 2016 Age 16-23
Size of congregation
Under 100 = 42%
100 to 200 = 43%
Over 200 = 10%
Distributed through American Baptist Regions
Focus group interviews with three groups of seminarians in 2015

3. Section one
Influences and Issues

4. Which of the following has a significant impact on your life today
Which of the following has a significant impact on your life today? (check All that apply)
Category
Percent
My Friends
89.29
People at my church
53.57
Internet
50.00
My pastor
39.29
Fellow Students
35.71
A mentor
People met at conf and events
25.00
Co-workers
21.43 TV

5. Q: What is the single most important issue facing youth today?

6. Spirituality/Expectations
Just normal like any youth issue's which is how to choose the right way and being away from bad thoughts ( being away from God and the Bible)
Personally, the idea that just because you're a Christian, doesn't mean that you're THAT kind of Christian (i.e. protesting, persecuting, etc.) and getting that point across to people that it's about love.
Engaging Christ's presence in the secular world
Trying not to conform to Hollywood's lifestyle
Temptation and expectations to be sexually active
Pressure to "party“
By far, the largest category of response had to do with expectations, of which spiritual expectations were a large part of that.

7. The Future Not being able to be successful and reach my dreams
Trying to decide what's next for your life
There really isn't one sole thing - but most of our issues can be summed up with one word: uncertainty
Finding where I fit in in this world. I feel this is a critical time to figure out what you're going to do in the future, with education and job choices leading you to a future career and other things. Guidance is what we need during this time.

8. Money The cost of college, college costs Finding solid employment
Paying student loans
Where am I going to get a job at? Where is my next warm meal going to come from?
What carrier choice I can make without falling in debt

9. Very much influencing me
how much is the life goal below a part of your current decision making. (Check all that apply)
Category
Not on my radar now
Very much influencing me
Finishing my education
10.71
71.43
Starting my career
3.70
55.56
Finding out who I am
3.57
46.43
Following my dreams
42.86
Deepening spiritually
35.71
Independence from my parents
21.43
28.57

10. Career Choices - Authenticity
Education - Teaching
Business – Manufacturing, Economics, Communications, Entertainment
Professional – Veterinarian, Mortician, Attorney
Church – Youth Ministry, Camping, Spreading God’s love (only one pastor)
Service – Tourism, Social work, Advocacy
Science/Technology – Engineering, Computers, Biomedical

11. Minimum career Expectations (by a few)
Something that pays enough money to let me help my family and needy neighbors. Providing care to others is more important than money.
Just finding a job let alone a vocation is difficult enough.
Anything that I can get. I have applied so many places but no one will hire me. My parents are out of work and no one seems to care.
Several respondents expressed a set of minimum expectations about the future

12. Section two
Faith and Community

13. Q: To what extent does faith play a key role in your life?
Q: To what extent does faith play a key role in your life & congregation’s life now?
Category
Percent for
Self
Percent for Congregation
Not very much
0.00
3.57
Maybe a little bit
10.71
7.14
Somewhat of a role
28.57
42.86
A big role
32.14
A huge role
14.29
In general, youth believe that faith plays a greater role in their own lives than in the lives of their congregants.

14. Q: What do you think is the single most important issue that your local community is currently dealing with?
Conflicts – Power, Authority, Diversity, Apathy, Invisible People, Ignorance, Inequality, Targeting
Needs of People – Homelessness, Low Incomes, Unemployment, Survival
Crime – Gangs, Drugs, Police Corruption
Conflict and Attitudes was by far the largest category

15. to what extent is your congregation addressing the issue just named?
Q: As you think about your current or most recent congregation, to what extent does that congregation address the issue that you just named (the most important issue facing your local community)?
Category
Percent
Not at all
38.46
Maybe a little bit
34.62
They addressed it somewhat
15.38
They addressed it quite a bit
7.69
This issue is their main concern
3.85

16. to what extent is your congregation involved in the community?
Q: To what extent is your congregation involved in your local community overall?
Category
Percent
Not at all
14.29
Maybe a little bit
10.71
They are somewhat involved
32.14
They are involved quite a bit
28.57
Community involvement is their main thing

17. What is your congregation’s highest priority?
Ministry to One Another
Sharing ideas and exchanging thoughts
All things inside the congregation
Being comfortable and doing what was good for the people in the church, not those outside it.
Helping/mentoring other members
Working on internal struggles and conflicts between people
Sunday worship service
Make sure that we look good.
Fulfilling their own personal needs

18. What is your congregation’s highest priority? (Continued)
Evangelism
Church Growth
Bringing people to Christ
Reaching the unchurched
Salvation and a relationship with Christ
The highest priority was getting people to depend on Jesus
Getting more members
Church attendance
Growing the church
Survival, not enough people in church to support the church financially

19. What is your congregation’s highest priority? (continued)
Meeting Needs
Reaching the poverty stricken
Taking care of needy
Community outreach
To help old people
To support a camping ministry.
Acceptance for all

20. Section three
Mission and Ministry

21. word association: Mission
Quest: Goal, Assignment, Adventure, Action, Calling, Special Project, Being on a mission, Doing a very important job
Service: Helping, Serving, Teaching
Travel: Sending, Going, Trip, Foreign, San Jose
Descriptors: Generic, Hope, Expensive, Why?

22. word association: Ministry
Office/Position: Pastor, Priest, Job in a church
Activities: Preach, Evangelizing, Teaching, Vocalization, Guidance, Doing, Leading
Descriptors: Jesus, Work, Boring, Difficult, How? Ugh Jesus freaks again
Notice the difference in the descriptors of Mission and Ministry

23. Section four
Active and Inactive

24. Are you active or inactive in church?
54% consider themselves active or very active
25% consider themselves inactive or not very active

25. Why are you active? I am involved It is my duty
I work at the church; I serve on the youth, Christian Education, worship team
I am seen as a leader
It is my duty
It’s my calling; I need to be active to connect
It is what I have always done
Important to my relationship with God
It keeps me strong
God has big plans for me

26. Why are you inactive? Attitudes Busy with other things Logistics
Church is out of touch with my generation
Still looking for a good church to be a part of
Church people don’t care about me
If they aren’t doing anything, why should I?
The church near me is too conservative
Busy with other things
Busy with college, work
Just general busy-ness
Logistics
There aren't as many activities during the summer.
Difficulty finding transportation.

27. Conclusions
Young Adults who responded to this survey struggle with spiritual expectations
They are concerned about conflicts and attitudes in their community
They do not perceive their congregations as being involved in the community
They perceive the highest priorities of their congregations to be associated with ministering to one another
They view mission as a quest and ministry as a job and don’t want to be pastors
They are active when they are involved
They are inactive when they don’t feel cared for