Unmarried Young Adults Neglected

The proportion of adults aged 20-45 in the U.S. is roughly what it was 30 years ago, but their proportion among mainline church adherents has declined by 5% since the early 1970s, and the proportion in their 20s has fallen 7%. The most pronounced social trend of this generation is delayed marriage. In 1970, 62% of people in their 20s were married; now it's 28%. Among those in their 30s, the percentage married fell from 83% to 52%. Almost all the decline in religious attendance among 21-45-year-olds has taken place among unmarried young adults. Many congregations think they can serve young adults by catering to young families. Unfortunately, this approach leaves out three-quarters of young adults. Metropolitan congregations and newer congregations (those founded since 1970) have advantages in attracting young adults. [Robert Wuthnow, sociologist of religion, Princeton University; adapted from Newscope, Dec. 14, 2007]

Walk Not Following Talk on Reaching Youth

In three decades, U.S. membership in the United Methodist Church has dropped nearly 19 percent. Until 1975 the average age of UMs in the United States was younger than the general population. Today, however, the UMC is older and less diverse than the population. That's according to a study done by the UMC's Connectional Table -- a denomination-wide group created by the 2004 General Conference. Lead researcher Lovett Weems of Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington DC told the Council of Bishops in November that although churches say they want to reach younger people, surveys show that they have not been willing to change their worship or budgets to do so. One reason the church has not paid attention to its aging membership is that financial resources are larger among people 50 and older. But a tipping point is coming, Dr. Weems warned. "Churches cannot thrive on inherited faithfulness." [United Methodist Reporter, November 23, 2007]