Rodger Nishioka, an associate professor of Christian education at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, said those ages 20 to 39 made up 21 percent of the U.S. population in the 2000 census – a decent chunk of people, too big for churches just to ignore.
And, speaking during a workshop June 13 at the Stewardship and Investment Conference – part of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s Big Tent gathering in Georgia. – Nishioka said he sees a generational shift in church thinking from “duty and responsibility” to “what’s in it for me,” a reflection in part of increasing consumerism in American culture.
Nishioka ran through distinctives he sees in young adults – including mobility; an experience of ethnic diversity; delayed ages for marrying and having children. “They’re able to hold with ease what might seem like contradictions to others,” he said. So some invest in 401Ks while running up credit card debt at the same time.
What does all this mean for congregations – Nishioka ran out of time before he had the chance to tie a big bow around it all. But he did say one of the most common answers young adults who grew up connected to Presbyterian congregations give when asked why they don’t come to church anymore is that “I just don’t get anything out of it.”
