Reaching, Retaining, and Releasing Post-College Emerging Adults: Profiles of Evangelical Congregations With Extraordinary Levels of Older Emerging Adult Participation
Within the vast majority of local churches throughout the United States, emerging adults (i.e., 18–29-year-olds) have tended to be poorly represented. With significantly increasing numbers of emerging adults over the past two decades identifying as religiously unaffiliated, not even evangelical cong...
| Authors: | ; |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Published: |
2025
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| In: |
Christian education journal
Year: 2025, Volume: 22, Issue: 2, Pages: 145-170 |
| Further subjects: | B
magnetic churches
B Discipleship B Churches B Evangelism B reaching B unchurched B post-college emerging adults B twentysomethings B releasing B Christian formation B Great Commission B retaining B Evangelical B Creation Mandate B “Nones” B emerging adults B churchless |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | Within the vast majority of local churches throughout the United States, emerging adults (i.e., 18–29-year-olds) have tended to be poorly represented. With significantly increasing numbers of emerging adults over the past two decades identifying as religiously unaffiliated, not even evangelical congregations—which have historically done somewhat better with this demographic than other Christian traditions—are insulated from this accelerating phenomenon. In contrast to those broader trends, a cohort of multigenerational evangelical churches have experienced an extraordinary level of post-college emerging adult (i.e., 22–29-year-olds) participation. Grounded in the findings of a phenomenological study, this project identifies common elements of those congregations that are seeking to reach, retain, and release older emerging adults. Furthermore, a path forward is proposed for congregational leaders interested in shepherding their churches to more effectively engage and disciple 22–29-year-olds. |
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| ISSN: | 2378-525X |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Christian education journal
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1177/07398913251372167 |
