LATEST RESEARCH ON
WHY OUR TEENAGERS
LEAVE THE CHURCH
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Roger Dudley
Institute of Church Ministry
Andrews University
Sponsored by the North
American Division of Seventhday Adventists
7/12/2016
THE YOUTH RETENTION
STUDY
• 695 CONGREGATIONS: 1 FOR EACH
1000 MEMBERS
• 95% RESPONSE AFTER 6 MONTHS
• 1523 MID-TEENAGERS SELECTED:
REPRESENTS ALL OF NAD
• SURVEY EVERY YEAR FOR TEN
YEARS
• 783 YOUNG ADULTS COMPLETE
YEAR 10
7/12/2016
THE PURPOSE OF THE
STUDY
• To discover what factors in the
lives of Seventh-day Adventist
mid-teenagers (15 and 16 years
old) predict which ones will
still be active in the church ten
years later and which ones will
have dropped out or become
inactive
7/12/2016
A FEW BASIC STATISTICS
– By the time they are in their midtwenties, 48% will at some time
have dropped out of the church or
become inactive
– 40% to 50% of those who were
baptized members in their teens
are no longer active members
– After 10 years only 55% attend
church regularly
– Only 21% hold some office or
service position
– Only 45% pay tithe regularly
7/12/2016
WHY DID THEY DROP OUT?
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Alienation
Irrelevance
Intolerance
Convenience
Personal Conflict
Doctrinal reasons not given
7/12/2016
ALIENATION
• "A major theme shared by the
dropouts was that they feel
unaccepted by their churches.
Many described their
churches as very "cold,"
"aloof," and "unfriendly
places." One young woman
shared: "I would rather spend
Sabbath on my own than try to
carve out a place in the ice."
Another chimed in: "No one
seems really happy there. It's
like they have to be there or
something.”
7/12/2016
PREDICTORS OF
RETENTION
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Home:
Father and mother still married
Both parents Adventist
Both parents faithfully attend
church
• Family worship in the home
7/12/2016
MORE PREDICTORS
• Attend Adventist schools
• Active in local congregation
• Agreement with Adventist
lifestyle standards
• Rich personal devotional life
7/12/2016
ADVENTIST EDUCATION
AND RETENTION
• Those who attended more
years of Adventist elementary
school (grades 1-8) were more
likely to remain members at the
end of ten years and less likely
to have ever dropped out.
• The same was true for those
who had attended one or two
years at Adventist day
academies.
7/12/2016
FAITH MATURITY SCALE
FIFTH-YEAR OF STUDY
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Low Moderate High
Adventist schools
3.5%
62.8% 33.7%
Public schools
7.7% 72.6% 19.7%
7/12/2016
SOCIAL MATURITY SCALE
FIFTH-YEAR OF STUDY
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Low Moderate High
Adventist schools
11.9% 80.2% 7.9%
Public schools
9.9% 78.0% 12.1%
7/12/2016
OUTCOMES PREDICTED
FROM QUESTIONS IN
VARIOUS YEARS
• 1. Member of church at time of
last report
• 2. Regular attendance at
worship services at time of last
report
• 3. Never dropped out of church
or became inactive
7/12/2016
Year 2: "Where do you
plan to attend school for
the 1988-89 year?"
• More than half (51%) of those
who would still be members at
the end planned to attend an
Adventist academy compared
to 33% of the non-members.
Nearly half 48% of the nonmembers opted for public high
school in contrast to 32% of the
members.
7/12/2016
Year 3: "Where did you
attend school during the
1988-89 school year?"
• Of the future members, 55%
were in Adventist academies
and 29% in public high school.
The comparable figures for the
non-members were 34% and
47%--highly significant
differences.
• About 50% of the dropouts
attended Adventist schools
compared with 63% of those
who never dropped out.
7/12/2016
Year 4: "Where did you
attend school during the
1989-90 school year?"
• 60% of those who remained
members were in either an
Adventist academy or college
compared to 31% of those no
longer members
• Only 19% of those who
remained members were in
public high, but 34% of the nonmembers were.
7/12/2016
Year 5: "Where did you
attend school during the
1990-91 school year?"
• 61% of the members were in
Adventist schools in contrast to
24% of the non-members. 24%
of the members and 51% of the
non-members were in public
institutions.
• Over half (52%) of the regular
attenders were in Adventist
institutions, and only 33% were
in public schools.
7/12/2016
Year 6: "Where did you
attend school during the
1991-92 school year?
• Nearly 44% of those who would
remain members were in
Adventist colleges in contrast
to 13% of non-members
• 48% of those regularly
attending church attended
Adventist colleges while only
26% of the absentees did.
7/12/2016
Year 8: "How many years
have you attended
Seventh-day Adventist
schools?"
• Those still members had an
average of 11.3 years of
Adventist education while the
non-members had an average
of only 7.5 years. This is a
highly significant difference.
• Regulars in worship
attendance had an average of
11.3 years in SDA schools while
the absentees had 10.1 years.
7/12/2016
Year 9: The last
education question
• "Was your high
school/academy or college
education: (1) all or mostly in
Adventist schools; (2) about
equally divided between the
two systems; (3) all or mostly in
non-Adventist schools?"
7/12/2016
THE DIFFERENCE FOR
YOUNG ADULTS
• Of those who were still
members, 67% reported that
their education was all or
mostly in Adventist schools,
and only 19% were educated all
or mostly in non-Adventist
schools. By contrast 38% of the
non-members were the product
of Christian education while
43% attended all or mostly
other schools.
7/12/2016
KUDOS FOR ADVENTIST
COLLEGES
• "My experience with this
Adventist college has been very
positive, especially because I
wasn't forced to go to worships.
I did choose to attend regularly
and find them much more of a
blessing without being forced."
7/12/2016
MORE KUDOS!
• "This year I went back to
Adventist college after a year in
public college. I was glad to be
back. I was also surprised and
pleased at the kindness,
helpfulness, and ease with
which the college personnel
accepted me back. They were
extremely helpful."
7/12/2016
CONCERNS
• "The Adventist college I
attended last year was
extremely rigid with a lack of
caring for the students and
their problems. The required
worship services made me
resentful, with a negative
attitude toward the church
overall. At least one of my
friends has left the church
because of this, and others are
very unsure and upset."
7/12/2016
MORE CONCERNS
• "I had an awful year at this
Adventist college. People are
confusing Christianity with
religion, and there's a
difference. There was far too
much focus on rules rather
than on people as people with a
basic need for Christ."
7/12/2016
NO COMPLACENCY
• We dare not rest on our laurels.
While this study shows that
Christian education does a
better job spiritually than
public education, it also shows
that the job is far from perfect.
7/12/2016
WAKE-UP CALL
• Remember, that of those who
are no longer members of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
38% took all or most of their
education in our schools. Of
those who at some time during
the ten years dropped out of the
church or became inactive,
58% took all or most of their
education in our schools.
7/12/2016
SPECIAL SURVEY TO
DROPOUTS
• “At the time you dropped out of
the church or became inactive,
did any of the following
happen?”
• 1. A visit from the pastor
• 2. A phone call from the pastor
• 3. A phone call from any
member
• 4. A letter from anyone in the
church
7/12/2016
TRAGIC OUTCOME
• NOT MORE THAN 15%
EXPERIENCED ANY OF THE ABOVE
ATTEMPTS TO REACH OUT!
7/12/2016
LIKELIHOOD OF COMING
HOME
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15% very likely
26% somewhat likely
33% uncertain
Only about a fourth said
“unlikely”
• "I would go to a different
church but not to ________
because the members are very
cold-hearted."
7/12/2016
REASONS FOR RETURNING
• One important reason was
Christian fellowship
• "An old friend sent me a
Christmas card. The only one I
got that year. She did not judge
nor question why I had left nor
condemn me. She was just my
friend." Another respondent
shared: "I have found a church
which accepts, nurtures, and
involves me.”
7/12/2016
WHY TEENAGERS STAY IN
THE CHURCH
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Belief in the message
Adventist background
Relationship with God
Fellowship/Friendships
7/12/2016
• “It is a church full of loving
Christian people . . . On the
whole they are wonderful
people.”
• “I felt accepted and that it was
where I should be and belong.”
• “The church (or at least mine)
has plenty for me to be involved
in . . . It is exciting to be a part of
an alive, growing church, and
even more so knowing that I've
had a part in creating that.”
7/12/2016
WHAT DOES THE CHURCH
PROVIDE FOR YOU
PERSONALLY?
• Christian fellowship
• Spiritual nourishment
• Security and stability
7/12/2016
A WARM, EXTENDED
FAMILY
• "They are always there when
you are in need, just like God.”
• “It is wonderful to be among
friends who love Jesus. I am
fortunate; I finally found a youth
group that is strong and feels
like I do. We don't have to give
up being us to belong in it. We
sing our songs and have fun
even though we are adults."
7/12/2016
WHAT DO YOU FIND MOST
DISTURBING ABOUT THE
CHURCH?
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Judgmental attitudes
Politics in church governance
Hypocrisy and gossip
Rules and codes
“Holier-than-thou” attitudes
7/12/2016
DESIGN THE IDEAL
CONGREGATION
• Friendly and caring
– "A loving congregation that
makes everyone feel welcomed
and people feel like they belong."
– "A family with unconditional
love.”
• Deep spirituality
– "Focused on defining the
essential principles of
spirituality."
7/12/2016
• Like a family
– "Like a true family. Every one
would be concerned about one
another and respect and love one
another as God's family. They
would really concentrate on the
children who are our future and
who need proper spiritual
guidance.”
• Involved in community and
mission
– "Helping others in the
community--communityoriented."
– "Active in outreach and ministry
in the community."
7/12/2016
• A thinking climate
– "People would be allowed to
question their beliefs without
shocking everyone."
– "A safe place to hurt, share, and
think. Not afraid of questions; not
always trying to offer answers.”
• Young people involved in
congregation
– more young adults in the
congregation and more adults
willing to teach and lead those
young people into the light."
7/12/2016
• Meaningful worship
– “Programs that catered to people
of all ages and backgrounds.
There would be less
traditionalism, and the
congregation would be open to
accept new ideas and change.”
• Diversity
– “A church with lots of different
people accepting each other for
who they are, not what they want
them to be."
7/12/2016