CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE GRADUATES!

It is an exhilarating time of year, when college and high school young adults graduate, and look forward to the next steps in their journey of life.  So many possibilities, so many unknowns.  The biggest unknown is whether or not these young adults will continue in their journey of faith with Jesus Christ!

According to the latest longitudinal studies and research, approximately 65-75% of baptized and confirmed youth will have stopped participating in the worship and ministries of the church, any church, by the age of 21.   The sad situation is that: 

• Approximately 10% of baptized children/youth continue in the life of the church and “grow in grace”/vocation leadership within the faith community and its mission in the world.
• Of Americans 40 years old and younger: 40% don’t believe in God, 25% say they are spiritual but not religious, and 5% say they are religious but are not committed or connected to any faith community.  That’s 70% of young adults in America!

So, my thought and challenge is this:  what would happen if every adult in the life of these graduates, starting with mom and dad, their aunts, uncles, and grandparents wrote their graduates a note sharing what their faith in God through Jesus Christ means to them, and why they find being connected to a community of faith (aka “the Church) is meaningful and important to them.  In the midst of all the well wishes and congratulations, maybe a word of encouragement to continue on in their Baptismal relationship with Jesus Christ might be needed.