LATEST RESEARCH ON WHY OUR TEENAGERS LEAVE THE CHURCH

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LATEST RESEARCH ONWHY OUR TEENAGERS LEAVE THE
CHURCH

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• Roger Dudley
• Institute of Church Ministry
• Andrews University
• Sponsored by the North American Division of
  Seventh-day Adventists

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THE YOUTH RETENTION STUDY

• 695 CONGREGATIONS 1 FOR EACH 1000 MEMBERS
• 95 RESPONSE AFTER 6 MONTHS
• 1523 MID-TEENAGERS SELECTED REPRESENTS ALL OF
  NAD
• SURVEY EVERY YEAR FOR TEN YEARS
• 783 YOUNG ADULTS COMPLETE YEAR 10

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THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

• To discover what factors in the lives of
  Seventh-day Adventist mid-teenagers (15 and 16
  years old) predict which ones will still be
  active in the church ten years later and which
  ones will have dropped out or become inactive

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A FEW BASIC STATISTICS

• By the time they are in their mid-twenties, 48
  will at some time have dropped out of the church
  or become inactive
• 40 to 50 of those who were baptized members in
  their teens are no longer active members
• After 10 years only 55 attend church regularly
• Only 21 hold some office or service position
• Only 45 pay tithe regularly

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WHY DID THEY DROP OUT?

• Alienation
• Irrelevance
• Intolerance
• Convenience
• Personal Conflict
• Doctrinal reasons not given

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ALIENATION

• "A major theme shared by the dropouts was that
  they feel unaccepted by their churches. Many
  described their churches as very "cold," "aloof,"
  and "unfriendly places." One young woman
  shared "I would rather spend Sabbath on my own
  than try to carve out a place in the ice."
  Another chimed in "No one seems really happy
  there. It's like they have to be there or
  something.

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PREDICTORS OF RETENTION

• Home
• Father and mother still married
• Both parents Adventist
• Both parents faithfully attend church
• Family worship in the home

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MORE PREDICTORS

• Attend Adventist schools
• Active in local congregation
• Agreement with Adventist lifestyle standards
• Rich personal devotional life

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ADVENTIST EDUCATION AND RETENTION

• Those who attended more years of Adventist
  elementary school (grades 1-8) were more likely
  to remain members at the end of ten years and
  less likely to have ever dropped out.
• The same was true for those who had attended one
  or two years at Adventist day academies.

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FAITH MATURITY SCALEFIFTH-YEAR OF STUDY

• Low Moderate High
• Adventist schools
• 3.5 62.8 33.7
• Public schools 7.7 72.6 19.7

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SOCIAL MATURITY SCALEFIFTH-YEAR OF STUDY

• Low Moderate High
• Adventist schools
• 11.9 80.2 7.9
• Public schools 9.9 78.0 12.1

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OUTCOMES PREDICTED FROM QUESTIONS IN VARIOUS YEARS

• 1. Member of church at time of last report
• 2. Regular attendance at worship services at time
  of last report
• 3. Never dropped out of church or became inactive

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Year 2 "Where do you plan to attend school for
the 1988-89 year?"

• More than half (51) of those who would still be
  members at the end planned to attend an Adventist
  academy compared to 33 of the non-members.
  Nearly half 48 of the non-members opted for
  public high school in contrast to 32 of the
  members.

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Year 3 "Where did you attend school during the
1988-89 school year?"

• Of the future members, 55 were in Adventist
  academies and 29 in public high school. The
  comparable figures for the non-members were 34
  and 47--highly significant differences.
• About 50 of the dropouts attended Adventist
  schools compared with 63 of those who never
  dropped out.

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Year 4 "Where did you attend school during the
1989-90 school year?"

• 60 of those who remained members were in either
  an Adventist academy or college compared to 31
  of those no longer members
• Only 19 of those who remained members were in
  public high, but 34 of the non-members were.

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Year 5 "Where did you attend school during the
1990-91 school year?"

• 61 of the members were in Adventist schools in
  contrast to 24 of the non-members. 24 of the
  members and 51 of the non-members were in public
  institutions.
• Over half (52) of the regular attenders were in
  Adventist institutions, and only 33 were in
  public schools.

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Year 6 "Where did you attend school during the
1991-92 school year?

• Nearly 44 of those who would remain members were
  in Adventist colleges in contrast to 13 of
  non-members
• 48 of those regularly attending church attended
  Adventist colleges while only 26 of the
  absentees did.

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Year 8 "How many years have you attended
Seventh-day Adventist schools?"

• Those still members had an average of 11.3 years
  of Adventist education while the non-members had
  an average of only 7.5 years. This is a highly
  significant difference.
• Regulars in worship attendance had an average of
  11.3 years in SDA schools while the absentees had
  10.1 years.

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Year 9 The last education question

• "Was your high school/academy or college
  education (1) all or mostly in Adventist
  schools (2) about equally divided between the
  two systems (3) all or mostly in non-Adventist
  schools?"

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THE DIFFERENCE FOR YOUNG ADULTS

• Of those who were still members, 67 reported
  that their education was all or mostly in
  Adventist schools, and only 19 were educated all
  or mostly in non-Adventist schools. By contrast
  38 of the non-members were the product of
  Christian education while 43 attended all or
  mostly other schools.

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KUDOS FOR ADVENTIST COLLEGES

• "My experience with this Adventist college has
  been very positive, especially because I wasn't
  forced to go to worships. I did choose to attend
  regularly and find them much more of a blessing
  without being forced."

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MORE KUDOS!

• "This year I went back to Adventist college after
  a year in public college. I was glad to be back.
  I was also surprised and pleased at the
  kindness, helpfulness, and ease with which the
  college personnel accepted me back. They were
  extremely helpful."

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CONCERNS

• "The Adventist college I attended last year was
  extremely rigid with a lack of caring for the
  students and their problems. The required
  worship services made me resentful, with a
  negative attitude toward the church overall. At
  least one of my friends has left the church
  because of this, and others are very unsure and
  upset."

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MORE CONCERNS

• "I had an awful year at this Adventist college.
  People are confusing Christianity with religion,
  and there's a difference. There was far too much
  focus on rules rather than on people as people
  with a basic need for Christ."

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NO COMPLACENCY

• We dare not rest on our laurels. While this
  study shows that Christian education does a
  better job spiritually than public education, it
  also shows that the job is far from perfect.

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WAKE-UP CALL

• Remember, that of those who are no longer members
  of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, 38 took all
  or most of their education in our schools. Of
  those who at some time during the ten years
  dropped out of the church or became inactive, 58
  took all or most of their education in our
  schools.

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SPECIAL SURVEY TO DROPOUTS

• At the time you dropped out of the church or
  became inactive, did any of the following
  happen?
• 1. A visit from the pastor
• 2. A phone call from the pastor
• 3. A phone call from any member
• 4. A letter from anyone in the church

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TRAGIC OUTCOME

• NOT MORE THAN 15 EXPERIENCED ANY OF THE ABOVE
  ATTEMPTS TO REACH OUT!

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LIKELIHOOD OF COMING HOME

• 15 very likely
• 26 somewhat likely
• 33 uncertain
• Only about a fourth said unlikely
• "I would go to a different church but not to
  ________ because the members are very
  cold-hearted."

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REASONS FOR RETURNING

• One important reason was Christian fellowship
• "An old friend sent me a Christmas card. The
  only one I got that year. She did not judge nor
  question why I had left nor condemn me. She was
  just my friend." Another respondent shared "I
  have found a church which accepts, nurtures, and
  involves me.

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WHY TEENAGERS STAY IN THE CHURCH

• Belief in the message
• Adventist background
• Relationship with God
• Fellowship/Friendships

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• It is a church full of loving Christian people .
  . . On the whole they are wonderful people.
• I felt accepted and that it was where I should
  be and belong.
• The church (or at least mine) has plenty for me
  to be involved in . . . It is exciting to be a
  part of an alive, growing church, and even more
  so knowing that I've had a part in creating that.

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WHAT DOES THE CHURCH PROVIDE FOR YOU PERSONALLY?

• Christian fellowship
• Spiritual nourishment
• Security and stability

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A WARM, EXTENDED FAMILY

• "They are always there when you are in need,
  just like God.
• It is wonderful to be among friends who love
  Jesus. I am fortunate I finally found a youth
  group that is strong and feels like I do. We
  don't have to give up being us to belong in it.
  We sing our songs and have fun even though we are
  adults."

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WHAT DO YOU FIND MOST DISTURBING ABOUT THE CHURCH?

• Judgmental attitudes
• Politics in church governance
• Hypocrisy and gossip
• Rules and codes
• Holier-than-thou attitudes

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DESIGN THE IDEAL CONGREGATION

• Friendly and caring
• "A loving congregation that makes everyone feel
  welcomed and people feel like they belong."
• "A family with unconditional love.
• Deep spirituality
• "Focused on defining the essential principles of
  spirituality."

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• Like a family
• "Like a true family. Every one would be
  concerned about one another and respect and love
  one another as God's family. They would really
  concentrate on the children who are our future
  and who need proper spiritual guidance.
• Involved in community and mission
• "Helping others in the community--community-orient
  ed."
• "Active in outreach and ministry in the
  community."

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• A thinking climate
• "People would be allowed to question their
  beliefs without shocking everyone."
• "A safe place to hurt, share, and think. Not
  afraid of questions not always trying to offer
  answers.
• Young people involved in congregation
• more young adults in the congregation and more
  adults willing to teach and lead those young
  people into the light."

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• Meaningful worship
• Programs that catered to people of all ages and
  backgrounds. There would be less traditionalism,
  and the congregation would be open to accept new
  ideas and change.
• Diversity
• A church with lots of different people
  accepting each other for who they are, not what
  they want them to be."