1. Churches have developed a mindset of raising up a child through Children's Ministry and Youth Ministry and then when they reach 18, its like they become prodigals and are left to go and squander their inheritance of a good foundation. Young Adult Ministry reminds them of their roots.
2. I haven't done any reasearch on this, but I think there are more crisis points in the years 18-25 than any other age span. College students are presented with liberal (sometimes I'd add, irresponsible) views that create questioning and doubting. Add to that the whole "What am I doing with the rest of my life" decisions and this can be a fruitful time if they have somewhere safe to come to in order to ask those questions and wrestle with God.
3. There is no other age group that seeks greater meaning and will surrender to the cause of Christ with more passion and ferociousness than young adults. They want a cause bigger than themselves to get wrapped up in. They dream bigger dreams than other age groups and just need to know what the Utmost Cause to live for actually is.
4. There's no age group that will be as fun, honest, spontaneous and open as young adults.
5. Without a young adult ministry to bridge the gap, church statistics suggest that people generally leave the church at age 18 and then return around age 33 (typically because a child or two are now in the picture.) This gap will debilitate the church if it is not addressed. We end up spending a good portion of adult ministry trying to reestablish the roots that were laid in children and youth ministries because they have stunted their own growth and are like infants in their spiritual journey.
There ya have it...So how are you supporting young adult ministry in your church?
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