Evangelizing Young Adults Bill Cork. The Graying of Adventism Median age of US: 36 Median age of Adventists: 51 Episcopal = 60 PCUSA = 54 ELCA = 54 RC.

EvangelizingEvangelizingYoung AdultsYoung Adults

Bill CorkBill Cork

The Graying of The Graying of AdventismAdventism

Median age of US:Median age of US:

3636 Median age of Median age of

Adventists:Adventists:

5151 Episcopal = 60Episcopal = 60 PCUSA = 54PCUSA = 54 ELCA = 54ELCA = 54 RC = 47RC = 47 Hispanics = 26Hispanics = 26

Age ProfileAge Profile

0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14% 16% 18%

Under age 5

Ages 5 to 9

Ages 10 to 14

Ages 15 to 19

Ages 20 to 24

Ages 25 to 34

Ages 35 to 44

Ages 45 to 54

Ages 55 to 59

Ages 60 to 64

Ages 65 to 74

Ages 75 to 84

Age 85 & older

Adventists

U.S. Census

Age by GenerationsAge by Generations

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

Millennialgeneration

Gen X

Baby Boomgeneration

Pre-Boomergenerations

Adventists

U.S. Census

Dropping OutDropping Out

LifeWay study of 1000+ Protestant LifeWay study of 1000+ Protestant young adults (18-30) April-May young adults (18-30) April-May 2007.2007.

70% drop out before age 23.70% drop out before age 23. 2/3rds have returned to some 2/3rds have returned to some

degree by age 30 degree by age 30 (divided between those who attend (divided between those who attend

sporadically and those who attend 2x sporadically and those who attend 2x month)month)

Young Adults Today Young Adults Today

““I Am Special”I Am Special” Follow My DreamsFollow My Dreams

MobileMobile Cultural Diversity AssumedCultural Diversity Assumed Technologically HardwiredTechnologically Hardwired PragmaticPragmatic MaterialisticMaterialistic

Young Adults TodayYoung Adults Today

Extended AdolescenceExtended Adolescence High Expectations High Expectations Sexual DisconnectionSexual Disconnection

““Hooking Up”Hooking Up” STDsSTDs

Relationships MatterRelationships Matter ““Soul Mate”Soul Mate”

Young Adults TodayYoung Adults Today

Spiritual HungerSpiritual Hunger Biblically IlliterateBiblically Illiterate

Personal Experience Personal Experience CentralCentral Moral RelativismMoral Relativism

Desire to ServeDesire to Serve Crime Statistics DownCrime Statistics Down Better Relationships with Better Relationships with

ParentsParents

QuestionsQuestions

Are we in the same place as young Are we in the same place as young adults?adults? Literally?Literally?

Houston’s Young Adults: Where they are … and aren’t.

Seventh-day Adventist Churches in Houston

Seventh-day Adventist Churches in Houston

QuestionsQuestions

Are we in the same place as young Are we in the same place as young adults?adults? Literally?Literally? Worldview?Worldview?

PostmodernismPostmodernism

Jean-François Lyotard, Jean-François Lyotard, La Condition La Condition PostmodernePostmoderne, 1979: , 1979: ““I define I define postmodernpostmodern as incredulity as incredulity

toward meta-narratives.”toward meta-narratives.”

QuestionsQuestions

Are we in the same place as young Are we in the same place as young adults?adults? Literally?Literally? Worldview?Worldview?

Will the traditional SDA approach Will the traditional SDA approach work?work? What might be more effective?What might be more effective?

How did you become an How did you become an Adventist?Adventist?

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Other means

Print materials

Christian education

Bible studies

Public evangelism

Friendship evangelism

Raised an Adventist

ResourcesResources Center for Secular and Postmodern StudiesCenter for Secular and Postmodern Studies

http://www.reframe.info/http://www.reframe.info/ Adventist Christian Fellowship (ministry to public Adventist Christian Fellowship (ministry to public

college students)college students) http://www.acflink.org/http://www.acflink.org/ The Word on CampusThe Word on Campus

http://www.adventsource.org/as20/product.aspx?ID=35683http://www.adventsource.org/as20/product.aspx?ID=35683 IGNITION: young adult blog (NAD)IGNITION: young adult blog (NAD)

http://ignitionblog.wordpress.com/http://ignitionblog.wordpress.com/ Center for Creative MininstryCenter for Creative Mininstry

http://www.creativeministry.org/http://www.creativeministry.org/ NAD Demographic Profile, 2008 NAD Demographic Profile, 2008

http://creativeministry.org/transaction_detail.php?id=228http://creativeministry.org/transaction_detail.php?id=228