Adolescence is the age period of intense ideological hunger, deep search for meaning and purpose, and near constant yearning for relationships and connectedness. Adolescence is also the age period when many young people make what turns out to be a lifetime commitment to faith and religious practice, while many others turn away from religion altogether (Hardy). What are the factors involved in adolescents going in one direction over the other? How can churches and their leaders position themselves to influence these factors for the overall good of young people themselves, their families, and the church community?

In this article we seek to respond to these four questions:

1. What about faith transmission is relevant to adolescents and adolescent faith formation? 
2. What does the body of literature show are the most important contributors to effective faith formation with adolescents? 
3. What does the literature show are the activities, tasks, and behaviors that bolster faith formation with adolescents? 
4. What are the implications for faith formation leaders, and the church community as a whole? 

 
With cogent responses to these four questions, we hope to offer you an overall picture of adolescent  faith development and give you insights that can lead to innovative and effective approaches and strategies for adolescents faith development that leads to eventual faith transmission. From that work, we are confident, will emerge best practices for the future of faith formation.

Continue reading the article online or download the article in PDF and share it with your leaders and colleagues.

Young adults have reached a life stage that calls for a lot of sorting. They have had twenty plus years of rules, roles, and responsibilities provided by parents, teachers, friends, media, pastors, and other key influencers. As they launch into adulthood, they must sort through all of that and decide what to take with them and what to leave behind, what to keep just as it is and what to reshape to suit their individual identities.

Our key question is this: Where does faith and religious practice fit in the sorting process?
Furthermore... What factors lead them to integrate a religious faith into their identify and life, and what factors prompt them to leave religious faith and practice behind?

Specifically, in this article we seek to respond to these four informative inquiries:

1. What about faith transmission is relevant to young adults and young adult faith formation?  
2. What does the body of literature show are the most important contributors to effective faith formation with young adults?  
3. What does the literature show are the activities, tasks, and behaviors that bolster faith formation with young adults? 
4. What are the implications for faith formation leaders, and church communities as a whole? 

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With cogent responses to these four questions, we hope to offer you an overall picture of young adult faith development and give you insights that can lead to innovative and effective approaches and strategies for young adult ministry that assist faith transmission. From that work, we are confident, will emerge best practices for the future of faith formation in churches. 

Continue reading the article online or download the article in PDF and share it with your leaders and colleagues.