Research in America shows that 59% of millennials (also known as Gen Y) drop out of church after attending regularly as a teenager. For the past decade, Barna Group has been working to understand this important age group. After interviewing more than 27,000 millennials and conducting 206 studies of this group, they have amassed a significant body of knowledge on millennials. Now they are sharing that knowledge via a special section of their web site that contains research, articles and carefully curated information on this elusive and often confusing age groups. Check it out at barna.org/millennials.
In many ways, Australia is a unique environment that has major differences to the American context, but there is much we can learn from this research as the church continues to seek to pass on faith to the next generation and reach out to young people with no Christian background. Of course, we are very thankful for the many churches and youth groups that are doing well in reaching young people today. May their tribe increase!