Depending on whose numbers you read, 70-90 percent of teenagers who graduate from our youth groups leave the church by their sophomore year of college. Most churches think those statistics may be true for other churches but not for theirs. But seriously, look at the raw data for your church’s youth and college-aged ministries. What do you find? With few exceptions, churches have much less participation in the church once students graduate high school.
I do not necessarily think this means these students walk away from their faith. While many recent graduates do forget about their Christianity when they leave the comfort of their youth group and home, many others simply find new ways to live it out. Many of these students who experts say have “walked away from the church” are more active in college campus Bible studies, missions and are personally sharing their faith more than they ever were before. They have simply ceased involvement in the organized institutional church.
Remember this: the students that graduated from high school in May also graduated from our youth groups, but not from our church. The following are a few simple ways to let students know the church still cares and desires to help them live out their faith we have diligently planted into their lives over the past years:
- Find an adult that will personally take responsibility for staying in touch with and praying for a particular student at least one year after their graduation. This is done best by phone calls and yes, even easier and more effectively by Facebook or Twitter.
- Send students bible study materials that the church is currently using. This will make them feel connected to the life of the church and not disconnected.
- Provide a gift certificate to a college student from time to time so they can buy themselves something unexpected or go out to eat. This will let them know their church cares for them in a tangible way.
- Build relationships with college ministers in the area where recent graduates attend college. If possible, travel to the college and help them meet college ministers that you know and whom you have confidence. Many times new college students never find a church when they move away because they don’t know anyone locally. Help take away that excuse.
It is possible to keep our graduates connected to the local church; it just takes a little effort. This year, let’s make the effort!
Greg Davis
President
First Priority Greater Birmingham