Single and Uninterested

“ Unless religious leaders take younger adults more seriously, the future of American religion is in doubt,” - Robert Wuthnow, After the Baby Boomers: How Twenty- and Thirty-Somethings are Shaping the Future of American Religion.

There is a tectonic shift currently underway in American churches. As post-boomers remain single longer than their parents and grandparents, the draw of American church is less influential in their life. Many young couples are moved to regular church attendance for the benefit of their young children. Without the pull of investing in a child’s spiritual development, single post-boomers are seeking alternate paths of spirituality.

Look for overall church attendance to wane as singles delay regular church participation for other leisure activities. Those congregations who focus more seriously on this unique segment of the U.S. population will find some success in attracting them to church attendance. A focus on core needs, both spiritual and emotional, will help drive the shift from traditional to specifically focused single, young adult formats.

A sustained effort to build a core group of singles is essential to success as this cohort desires a like-aged, like-minded group of significant size to warrant their interest. A more aggressive marketing trend toward this population will be pursued by some spinning off single-centered publications and web portals that are supported by denominations or individual churches.

Courtesy Trend Ping