Does Children's Ministry work? Well, that would depend on what one means by "work." But recent research by the Barna Group indicates some very positive indicators between childhood church attendence and adult faithfulness to the church. Here are a few highlights of the study:
THE QUESTION
How do childhood and teen engagement connect to adult spirituality? The research examined four elements of adult religious commitment: attending church, having an active faith (defined as reading the Bible, praying, and attending church in the last week), being unchurched, and switching from childhood faith.
ADULTS THAT ATTENDED CHURCH AS CHILDREN, DO STICK.
When it comes to church engagement, those who attended Sunday school or other religious programs as children or as teens were much more likely than those without such experiences to attend church and to have an active faith as adults.
THOSE THAT DIDN'T, DON'T.
Measures of disassociation – being unchurched and changing from childhood faith – were also correlated with activity before age 18. The highest proportion of unchurched adults was found among those who had never attended as children or teenagers.
AND THOSE THAT DID, STAY CONNECTED TO THEIR HERITAGE.
Similarly, a person’s likelihood to switch faith views at some point was also correlated to their early-life spiritual experiences. The survey asked if people had the same faith perspectives today as when they were a child or whether they had ever significantly changed their faith views. The study indicates that individuals who recalled frequent religious attendance as a child were less likely to have changed central faith views than were those who attended less often.
PUTTING IT IN PERSPECTIVE
David Kinnaman, president of Barna Group, made several observations about the research. “It is important to clarify what this research does and does not indicate. First, correlation does not imply causation. This means that the research does not prove that spiritual activity as a young person causes spiritual engagement as an adult. In fact, the research confirms the pattern that many students who are active early in life disengage from their faith as they get older. And people’s recollections of childhood activities are only one limited way of understanding faith durability.
“However, the study shows that most American adults recall frequent faith activity when they were growing up. Moreover, it provides clarity that the odds of one sticking with faith over a lifetime are enhanced in a positive direction by spiritual activity under the age of 18. And it raises the intriguing possibility that being involved at least a few times a month is correlated with nearly the same sticking power as weekly involvement – especially among teenagers.”
I encourage you to read the entire report at the Barna website >>
Also, Southern Baptist missiologist and researcher, Ed Stetzer, has also made some observations about the study, you can read his perspective here >>
Blessings
3 John 8
Bill H.
THE QUESTION
How do childhood and teen engagement connect to adult spirituality? The research examined four elements of adult religious commitment: attending church, having an active faith (defined as reading the Bible, praying, and attending church in the last week), being unchurched, and switching from childhood faith.
ADULTS THAT ATTENDED CHURCH AS CHILDREN, DO STICK.
When it comes to church engagement, those who attended Sunday school or other religious programs as children or as teens were much more likely than those without such experiences to attend church and to have an active faith as adults.
THOSE THAT DIDN'T, DON'T.
Measures of disassociation – being unchurched and changing from childhood faith – were also correlated with activity before age 18. The highest proportion of unchurched adults was found among those who had never attended as children or teenagers.
AND THOSE THAT DID, STAY CONNECTED TO THEIR HERITAGE.
Similarly, a person’s likelihood to switch faith views at some point was also correlated to their early-life spiritual experiences. The survey asked if people had the same faith perspectives today as when they were a child or whether they had ever significantly changed their faith views. The study indicates that individuals who recalled frequent religious attendance as a child were less likely to have changed central faith views than were those who attended less often.
PUTTING IT IN PERSPECTIVE
David Kinnaman, president of Barna Group, made several observations about the research. “It is important to clarify what this research does and does not indicate. First, correlation does not imply causation. This means that the research does not prove that spiritual activity as a young person causes spiritual engagement as an adult. In fact, the research confirms the pattern that many students who are active early in life disengage from their faith as they get older. And people’s recollections of childhood activities are only one limited way of understanding faith durability.
“However, the study shows that most American adults recall frequent faith activity when they were growing up. Moreover, it provides clarity that the odds of one sticking with faith over a lifetime are enhanced in a positive direction by spiritual activity under the age of 18. And it raises the intriguing possibility that being involved at least a few times a month is correlated with nearly the same sticking power as weekly involvement – especially among teenagers.”
I encourage you to read the entire report at the Barna website >>
Also, Southern Baptist missiologist and researcher, Ed Stetzer, has also made some observations about the study, you can read his perspective here >>
Blessings
3 John 8
Bill H.
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