Case for College/Adult Ministry

Many churches invest thousands of dollars in youth and older adult ministries. Larger churches have millions to dedicate to these populations. When you look at the percentage of resources toward college/young adult ministry it’s no wonder that the young adult populations in churches all over the country are struggling. Many students simply don’t see a space for themselves in most churches.

Every church focuses on quality offerings that cater to the adult population. Youth ministry is a no brainer because if you desire to have adults you must have resources for their children. People will stay in churches they don’t enjoy because their children are satisfied. But, college students and young adults don’t often have an immediate appeal to many churches.

The reasons vary, in no particular order college students make less then $13,000 a year and are not a serious tithing base. Also, many young adults are transient in nature and will leave after 3-5 years. The last is they often don’t fit into traditional church environments because they are usually not tied to tradition.

The benefits, I believe, far outweigh the risks. That same student that learns to give from $13K will eventually carry that habit when making $60K, $80K, and $100K plus. Then if you can grab the attention of and sell a compelling vision to a transient young adult, they are more likely to put roots down. One of the most compelling reasons to me is their ability to question and change how we do church. If the church is to continue to go,` we must at least understand and know how to communicate to future generations. College students and young adults are that vital link. If the mean age of your churches population continues to rise, your church has a quickly approaching expiration date.