EA Resources | 5 Struggles of Emerging Adults and How Your Church can Help.

As the Church, our purpose in helping Emerging adults is not to remove their pain or struggles, but to walk alongside them in the journey. In Essential Church, Thom and Sam Rainer believe that churches must become essential once again to the lives of people – especially emerging adults. Your church can become essential to the life of emerging adults, if it understands and seeks to minister to their greatest sources of struggle.

1. Lack of Direction

Emerging adults face endless opportunities, but often lack the ability to make decisions (link to decision making). This does not mean we make decisions for them, but we can seek to provide people and resources that can empower them to make their own decisions. Do emerging adults in your community have easy avenues to connect with mentors, or does your church provide a mentoring community that can help them find direction?

2. Lack of Stability

Young adults face regular transitions, and so a stable environment is crucial to your ministry (including regular meeting times and consistent leadership). Emerging adults do not want to meet a new group of people each Sunday. They want someone to know their name, and offer an understanding ear for their lives. Do emerging adults at your church should know who they can turn to when they are in need?

3. Lack of Community

While attending college, many emerging adults only have a few months to connect before they face a new transition. This leaves both sides asking whether or not the investment is worth it. How long does it take for the average person to connect to your church body? Assimilation into your community must be quick and effective. While these relationships do not have to be peer-centered, they should be peer-sensitive. The emerging adult years are filled with transitions due to changing jobs, housing, and relationships; therefore, a church that ministers to emerging adults will provide clear channels for them to quickly connect. Do emerging adults know who they can sit by?

4. Lack of Vocational Experience

Whether currently taking classes or graduated, emerging adults are either looking for work or gaining work skills. Churches must understand that vocation should not be limited to a side topic, but that vocation is directly connected to the mission of Jesus Christ. A church who ministers to emerging adults will find people who can provide vocation mentorship, guidance, and internships for emerging adults. Another way to help emerging adults gain skills includes: childcare, sound technology, video technology, leadership, teaching and public speaking skills. All of these skills can serve emerging adults as future job skills. Do emerging adults know you care about their vocational lives?

5. Distance from Family

Many emerging adults are away from their families, and long for “family experiences.” This is especially true when a family member has died or is facing an illness. Train and equip your people to provide moments when they feel your church is truly a family. For example, one couple opened up their home every Sunday afternoon to college students. This couple wanted students to have a home-cooked meal around a table where they would feel loved. After lunch, the students could then sprawl out in the living room to watch football or take a nap. Do you make emerging adults feel at home?

As a church, you must plan ways to meet EAs in their struggles.

If you do, they will come.

If you do, they will stay.

If you do, more will come – for your community will not be entertainment, but essential to their lives.

Dr. G. David Boyd is the Founder and Managing Director of EA Resources, a non-profit driven to encourage and provide resources to Emerging Adults and their parents. If we can help your community minister to Emerging Adults, contact David at gdavid@earesources.org.