Young Adults and Single Adults:Young Adults and Single Adults:A Look at USA and ChurchA Look at USA and Church

of the Nazarene Trendsof the Nazarene Trends

Annual Births in U.S.Annual Births in U.S.

0

500000

1000000

1500000

2000000

2500000

3000000

3500000

4000000

4500000

5000000

1910

1914

1918

1922

1926

1930

1934

1938

1942

1946

1950

1954

1958

1962

1966

1970

1974

1978

1982

1986

1990

1994

1998

2002

2006

1965-1976“Busters”

Now age 32-43

1977-1994Gen. X

Now age 14-31

Source: Statistical Abstract of the United States

1946-1964“Boomers”

Now age 44-62

Youth & Young Adults in U.S. Youth & Young Adults in U.S. Population – 1986-2025Population – 1986-2025

Source: Statistical Abstract of the United States

-

10,000,000

20,000,000

30,000,000

40,000,000

50,000,000

60,000,00019

86

1988

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

2008

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

2024

Youth (12 - 23 Years) Young Adult (24-34 Years)

Young Adult (24-34)

Youth (12-23)

U.S. Age Group ProjectionsU.S. Age Group Projections

Source: Statistical Abstract of the United States

-

20,000,000

40,000,000

60,000,000

80,000,000

100,000,000

120,000,000

140,000,000

1980

1990

1995

2000

2005

2010

2015

2020

2025

2030

2035

2040

2045

2050

Children (Under 10) Youth (10 - 24)

Younger Adults (25 - 39) Middle Adults (40 - 54)

Prime Time (55 and over)

Projected

Nazarene Youth Camp AttendanceNazarene Youth Camp AttendanceUSA & CanadaUSA & Canada

-

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,00019

86

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

Source: Pastors’ Reports

Nazarene Youth Camp Nazarene Youth Camp Percentage ParticipatingPercentage Participating

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%1

98

6

19

87

19

88

19

89

19

90

19

91

19

92

19

93

19

94

19

95

19

96

19

97

19

98

19

99

20

00

20

01

20

02

20

03

20

04

20

05

20

06

20

07

Percent of Youth Percent of Churches

Source: Pastors’ Reports

NYI & Sunday School TrendsNYI & Sunday School Trends

Source: Pastors’ Reports

-20,00040,00060,00080,000

100,000120,000140,000160,000180,000

Total Youth Enrollment 12-23 NYI Members

Average S.S. Attendance of Youth Young Adult Enrollment 24-34

NYI Members

Youth S.S. Enrollment

Youth S.S. Attendance

Young Adult Enrollment

Nazarene College ChoicesNazarene College Choices

Source: Pastors’ Reports

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Percent of All 19-23 Year Olds Reported Attending Some College

Percent of Reported College Attenders Attending a Nazarene College

Nazarene College Students Choosing a Nazarene College

College Age Nazarenes Attending College

Research Findings: Soul SearchingResearch Findings: Soul SearchingThe Religious and Spiritual Lives of American TeenagersThe Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers

Religiously, American teens are complicated and Religiously, American teens are complicated and "all over the map.“"all over the map.“

American teenagers embrace particular religious American teenagers embrace particular religious beliefs and engage in deliberate practices.beliefs and engage in deliberate practices.

Faith for these teenagers is not just general Faith for these teenagers is not just general identity or affiliation or cognitive belief, but also identity or affiliation or cognitive belief, but also activated, practiced, and formed through specific activated, practiced, and formed through specific religious and spiritual practices.religious and spiritual practices.

Very, very few American adolescents are Very, very few American adolescents are "spiritual but not religious"."spiritual but not religious".

Sources: Soul Searching by Christian Smith with Melinda Lundquist Denton, pages 190-191

Research Findings: Soul SearchingResearch Findings: Soul Searching

We are not highly effective in fostering clarity and We are not highly effective in fostering clarity and articulacy about our beliefs & culture.articulacy about our beliefs & culture.

Where religious faith and practice are important Where religious faith and practice are important teens tend to have religious lives constructed teens tend to have religious lives constructed relationally and institutionally to intersect and relationally and institutionally to intersect and overlap with other important aspects of their overlap with other important aspects of their lives.lives.

Parents and other adults exert huge influence in Parents and other adults exert huge influence in the lives of American adolescents.the lives of American adolescents.

Overall there is a positive association between Overall there is a positive association between greater religious involvement and more positive greater religious involvement and more positive outcomes in life.outcomes in life.

Sources: Soul Searching by Christian Smith with Melinda Lundquist Denton, pages 190-191

Strong Families:Strong Families:Key to Youth RetentionKey to Youth Retention

Shared religious commitment of Shared religious commitment of parents intentionally passed onparents intentionally passed onPositive relationship between parents Positive relationship between parents and childrenand childrenTraditional family structureTraditional family structureFewer social disruptions (moves, Fewer social disruptions (moves, divorce, etc.)divorce, etc.)Fit of individual’s status and ideology Fit of individual’s status and ideology with religious groupwith religious group

Source: Smith & Sikkink, Review of Religious Research, 2003, 45: 190-191

Age at First MarriageAge at First Marriage

26.1 25.9 25.1 24.6 24.3 24.322.8 22.8 23.2

24.726.1 26.8

22.0 21.9 21.6 21.2 21.3 21.520.3 20.3 20.8

22.023.9

25.1

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000

Years

Old

Males Females

Source: Infoplease

Household TypesHousehold Types

40.3%

30.3%

10.6%

5.6%

11.5%

1.7%

30.9%

29.9%

12.9%

8.6%

14.0%

3.6%

26.3%

29.8%

14.8%

9.7%

14.9%

4.6%

24.1%

28.7%

16.0%

10.7%

14.8%

5.7%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

1970 1980 1990 2000

Married couples with own children Married couples without own children

Other family households Men living alone

Women living alone Other nonfamily households

Source: U.S. Census Bureau publication, America’s Families & Living Arrangements 2000, page 3

U.S. Trends & NazarenesU.S. Trends & Nazarenes

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female

Married Never Married Separated/Divorced

Widowed

U.S. 1970 U.S. 1980 U.S. 1990 U.S. 2000 Nazarene

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau publication, America’s Families & Living Arrangements 2000, page 10 and U.S. Congregational Life Survey, 2001