Growing Young: Six Essential Strategies to Help Young People Discover and Love Your Church

by Kara Powell, Jake Mulder, Brad M. Griffin

All churches grow old. Strategic churches grow young. 
Across the United States, churches are losing both members and vitality as increasing numbers of young people disengage. Based on groundbreaking research with over 250 of the nation's leading congregations, Growing Young provides a strategy any church can use to involve and retain teenagers and young adults. It profiles innovative churches that are engaging 15- to 29-year- olds and as a result are growing--spiritually, emotionally, missionally, and numerically. Packed with both research and practical ideas, Growing Young shows pastors and ministry leaders how to position their churches to engage younger generations in a way that breathes vitality, life, and energy into the whole church.
" Growing Young carries an urgent message. Young people need the body of Christ--and vice versa. This book is theologically informed, research savvy, and pragmatically outstanding. Read it now, before you get any older. " - John Ortberg , senior pastor of Menlo Church, author of All The Places To Go
"There's a fine line between catering to young people and understanding the context of our fast-changing culture so that we can engage young people and invite them into discipleship and mission. Growing Young is a gift to the wider church. "- Eugene Cho , pastor of Quest Church, author of Overrated
"Every young person should have access to a church community that will support their spiritual development. Growing Young provides research that charts the effectiveness of the church's role in the engagement of youth and their families. Church leaders will learn to create and implement strategic steps to strengthen their youth ministry touch. The secret to Growing Young is now out! " - Virginia Ward , Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary

Genres: Leadership, Church, Christian, Nonfiction, Religion, Theology, Faith

336 pages, Hardcover

First published September 28, 2016

About the author

Dr. Kara Powell is the Executive Director of the Fuller Youth Institute (FYI), a faculty member at Fuller Theological Seminary, and Fuller's Chief of Leadership Formation. Named by Christianity Today as one of “50 Women You Should Know,” Kara serves as a Youth and Family Strategist for Orange, and also speaks regularly at parenting and leadership conferences. Kara is the author or coauthor of a number of books, including 3 Big Questions That Change Every Teenager, Growing Young, Growing With, The Sticky Faith Guide for Your Family, Sticky Faith Curriculum, Can I Ask That?, Deep Justice Journeys, Deep Justice in a Broken World, Deep Ministry in a Shallow World, and the Good Sex Youth Ministry Curriculum. Kara lives with her husband Dave and their three teenage and young adult children, Nathan, Krista, and Jessica, in Southern California.

Reviews

[David Goetz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid and useful work, as usual, from the Fuller Youth Institute. This is fresh research, too: the Churches Engaging Young People Project was conducted from 2012 to 2015.

Their primary research question, as taken from the Appendix, is, "What congregational practices lead to effective engagement of young people?" ("Young people," for the purposes of this study, are persons 15-29.) Secondary research questions are, "How does engaging young people contribute to a thriving church? What are next-step processes for congregations that want to enact changes toward more effective ministry with young people?"

The "six essential strategies" are as follows: Unlock Keychain Leadership, Empathize with Today's Young People, Take Jesus' Message Seriously, Fuel a Warm Community, Prioritize Young People (and Families) Everywhere, and Be the Best Neighbors.

In my judgment, the book doesn't really have any weaknesses except perhaps a lack palpable passion for the mission of the Church; the book reads, most of the time at least, as very much the written fruit of researchers. That's not surprising, of course, but I might suggest that the authors' assiduous attempt to produce an ecumenical book (understandable, given that their research comprised churches from all branches of Christianity and therefore seeks to speak to all branches of Christianity) gives us great stats, analysis, and ideas for implementation but lacks the energy of the evangel.

The strengths of the book are many. First, their research reveals that "priority is the game changer for churches that want to grow young" (200). In this same section, they identify prioritization of young people everything as "our tangible, institutional commitment to allocate resources and attention--not only for specific youth or young adult programming but also across the life of the congregation" (201). Second, they rightly note that "culture eats strategy for breakfast" (215). If you want your congregation to grow young, you need to change the culture of your congregation. And that, the authors say, will take years. You need to stick in for the long haul. Third, they forestall the objection that focus on growing young will result in minimization of older adults by showing statistically that "in a kingdom win/win, stronger ministry to young people bulks up the ministry muscles of the entire congregation" (42).

Fourth, their use of the notion of "leadership frames" to help leaders in the church understand themselves and how they might strategically share the keys with young people was generally illuminating and definitely aided my self-understanding. Fifth, they helpfully suggest we understand persons in general and young people in particular as driven by three fundamental questions: Who am I? Where do I fit? And what difference do I make? They also made a striking observation in this section that the increase in college enrollment ("two-thirds of high school graduates now enter college, a higher proportion than ever before in American history") and graduate school enrollment, in tandem with the recent economic downturn, mean that many young adults today "often wait until their late twenties or early thirties to take on a long-term career" (98), which in turn means that maturity and independence are arriving later. I'd never made the connection before that increased college attendance can result in delayed maturity!

Sixth, the authors rightly emphasize that young people today often believe on the other side of belonging--a sort of cognatio quaerens intellectum, "relationship seeking understanding." And last, the authors accentuate the importance of story for young people and for the life of God's people.

Each chapter concludes with several pages of ideas on how to give legs to these strategies, which I found generally helpful.

Anyway, highly recommended for anyone who loves Christ's Church.

[Tim Floyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

In light of the fact that "no major Christian tradition is growing in the US today" and the church members that remain are only getting older, therefore Declining Old. This book takes a look at trends in churches that doing something different and are Growing Young. They focused on "Bright Spots" where churches are 1) engaging young people ages 15-29 and 2) are growing spiritually, emotionally, missionally, and sometimes numerically. The authors are careful to point out that their suggestions are not "fix all" solutions for every church, but rather common themes observed in churches that are doing successful things. I thoroughly enjoyed reading their findings & look forward to implementing some ideas that have developed as a result.

[Evan Dolive · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall it is a great book offering sound research; it can be a bit overwhelming at first and there can be a bit too much theory and not enough ways to implement it.

[Chris Everson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great and challenging book to help see the need and responsibility to help the church grow young.

[Katy Stanton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Growing Young is a thought-provoking text. I'm glad to have read it in the context of a church book study that will happen in a few weeks. There were so many ideas I highlighted while reading and there were places I put my alarmed question marks in the margins. As someone who believes in Jesus and in young people and in building the kingdom here and now, I see this book as a great place to start a conversation. Faith is a personal concern, but community is how we live out our faith and this book offers many suggestions on how to grow vibrant communities that prioritize the precious lives of children.

[Stephen Bedard · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good book on how churches can minister more effectively to and with young people. It is based on empirical research as well as many stories related by the authors. Helpful for all churches concerned about growing old.

[Steve Heyduck · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read for and pastor or church person concerned with reaching and including the next generation.

[Matthew Engum · Rating 2 out of 5]

Informative, but so boring.

[Brian Stankich · Rating 5 out of 5]

A helpful book with ideas to help a church recognize and incorporate all members. In many ways, this book is a guide for how to simply do church in a way that is forward looking.

[Jesse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting, hopeful, practical, and balanced. I enjoyed the chapters on empathizing with young people. That was great. I kept jotting notes in the back about ideas I had as I went through it. Ways to practically move from the ideas of the book to our specific context. I also love that they don't claim to have any specific cookie cutter ideas, or silver bullet plan that is one size fits all.

I have committed to memory their identification of what they call the "Three Ultimate Questions": Who am I? Where do I fit in? What difference do I make? These are questions everyone is asking really, through all stages of life, and since the beginning of time. But, I love how they logically laid them out and connected them to Identity, Belonging, Purpose.

I would highly recommend this book, and kept dreaming of how amazing it would be to see churches empathizing, prioritizing, and creating space for connecting through warmth and neighborly love. Simple, but as I imagine how to do all of this, not necessarily easy.

[Kelsey Grissom · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book makes “growing young” seem doable, and it’s an easy read. However, I’m more skeptical of many of its claims and ideas because prior to reading the book, I was formerly on staff at a large church where several of the youth/young adult leaders used this book to change their ministry. From that perspective, *many* of the ideas, which read well on paper, are actually really, really annoying when actually implemented. So, be cautious, and use common sense. This book is brimming with enthusiasm, only part of which is probably warranted.
Side note- I liked this book a lot better than Sticky Faith. It is not as preachy or moralistic.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very helpful in engaging the research concerning growing young. The authors guide a reader through the problems of engaging young adults and provide practical helps at developing a contextualized plan for connecting with young adults and developing a future that shares faith across generations. Worth investing the money, time, and energy to wrestle with this research and apply it in your local congregation.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

A long review: I strongly commend you read— and take to heart— Growing Young.

Growing Young (GY) makes a great case for “strategies” that contribute to the thriving faith of young adults (15-29) in congregational life. The book is one of the fruits of a long research study of the faith development of adolescents and young adults, as well as how congregations that serve and relate well to the young adults. For those who have theological dog in the hunt, the churches in the research span the ecclesial spectrum, lending some credence to the notion that developing a thriving young adult ministry can happen within any particular theological tradition or denomination.

Most of the strategies concern a strong emphasis upon good and healthy relationships. But, in what might be thought of as counter-intuitive, the strategies involved allowed for public expression of doubt and disappointment with God, life, and others. Simply consenting to hear the anxieties of life or difficulties with the content of the faith became generative of trust throughout the congregation, rather than seeding dissent. I may have missed this matter within GY, but the keeping of secure friendships and mentoring seems to demand an emotional maturity of the lay leadership and the pastors; keeping your head on a swivel when a young adult expresses her/his deepest fears appears to need a calm head and heart. I should add: this attention to strong friendships, shared leadership, and mentoring says nothing about church property. I presume these kinds of relationships do not require any expectations of a “Friday night meeting” or some gathering after worship at the church.

There are two related, perhaps interlocking questions, one of which is theological and the other missiological, that I have for the authors, as well as for the readers. These questions should pertain to more than an academic interest: most pastors and missionaries would do well to consider these questions. It would be far easier to dismiss the following questions with the plea, “I’m just practical in my ministry.” Well, as attributed to the sociologist Kurt Lewin, “When it comes to being practical, nothing beats a good theory.”

The theological question asks why the proposed attention to the definitions of “effectively engaging young people” and “faith vibrancy and maturity” (38) should find inclusion in our respective ministries, thus orienting our communities toward “growth”. Our claims and pleas for practicality notwithstanding, all of our ministries have some tacit theologies embedded in our practices and pronouncements. It may be of some value to consider what else gets imported with those definitions.

To the authors’ credit, they appear to have dodged any association with the Church Growth Movement of Donald McGavran and C. Peter Wagner. While both Fuller missiologists cared about ethnic diversity and social justice, most of their explicit theologies were that of harvest. Churches had a theological mandate to bring people to faith. On its own, this statement would be uncontroversial within a greater mission theology by which the church develops its self-understanding with regard to Jesus. But, that is not what McGavran and Wagner had in mind.

But, I have to admit: the choice of the book title impresses me as unusual. The reader may be tempted to overlook (or be unaware of) the unexpected juxtaposition of Fuller Youth Institute and the Church Growth Movement that emerges with the title of the book. So, *theologically*, given those definitions, why should any church “grow”, and furthermore, why “grow young”? How do the above definitions offer any theological support for that kind of specific attention to “growing young”? I share concerns of GY regarding the absence of young adults in many churches, and appeals to the “nones and dones” does not quite do justice to understanding such a dearth.

It may be important that the latter of the two definitions (“faith vibrancy and maturity”) received imagination and empowerment from precedent research conducted by social psychologists: which I commend. But, I kept circling back into that definition, and the theological question(s) kept arising as to whether this attention to growth could receive some improved attention. To the authors’ credit, they routinely observe their commitment to the Fuller Statement of Faith, and propose to the readers that the tacit theologies that inhere in their strategies likely serve most Christian traditions. I would have them increase the theological rationale of the proposal of “growing young.”

The missiological question follows on the heels of the previous question, and if the previous question hinted at the need to address context for their proposal, this question makes attention to the life-world and culture of young adults increasingly specific: and this question regards the racialized context of North America. In the chapter “Be the Best Neighbors”, some tantalizing descriptions get raised: only to be left hanging. Observe these two:
“Ethnic diversity is on the radar of teenagers and emerging adults, possibly more so than for other age groups…racial and ethnic diversity are an everyday reality for today’s young people.” (247)
“Informed by social media, young people today are often immediately aware of racially charged acts of violence or potential racial injustice when it bursts onto the public scene. Teenagers and emerging adults long for space to dialogue, speak honestly about hard issues, and lament and pray on behalf of those directly affected.” (250)

But, one looks in vain for any examples from the research of how churches engage this yawning need for strong listening ears from lay leaders and pastors about the cries of the young adults in response to racial injustice. The book does not elaborate at this very point. Indeed, the preceding weeks, months, and just in the last 4 years starting with a bracket marked by the stalking death of Trayvon Martin in 2012, only serve to throw the problem of racism into sharp relief, a social-media-informed reporting of state force violently deployed upon Black people. And, perhaps, that so many of the victims were Black lends well to the observation made by the authors: “When young people’s churches (especially predominantly White churches) say nothing in response, that silence speaks volumes.” (250) No wonder, then, that the book has nothing to report about effectively engaging young adults about the intersection of the Gospel and racism in North America: There were no discussions.

Their recommendations, however, will move the needle on this matter, and I commend their questions. For those more familiar with such discussions— and the emotional wherewithal to sustain and encourage constructive conversations about racism among Christians— the conversations will likely need stronger, intentional dialogue between the Bible, lived experience, and practices of dissent and reconciliation. See the chapter end for the discussion on racial injustice for better detail.

But, for those still reading… I haven’t posed the missiological question yet. What concerns me regards the subsuming of racial injustice to a segment of the “Be the Best Neighbors.” There are other fine issues, and believe me, they warrant your attention; put another way, plenty of young adults will be intensely responsive to racial injustice in the world and still have other urgent concerns for justice that stand apart. That the GY authors report the diversity of interests in serving one’s neighbor does justice to the research. But, why subsume racial injustice in this book? Why is racism merely one of many matters for how North American churches participate in the missio Dei? Let me offer a few suggestions to conclude.

First, the avoidance of discussion of racism in North America receives affirmation from the pulpits in churches. Merely including pastoral prayers for the families of those shooting victims— without naming them as Black— only silently affirms that the Word of God has nothing to say regarding racism that manifests in lethal violence. Preachers everywhere need to ask themselves about why a “sermon series” deserves allegiance over the interruption of lamenting the deaths of Black Americans. One only has to reflect upon the deafening silence on Father’s Day of 2015 when the pulpits in (mostly White) churches had no comment upon the assassination of nine Christian men and women at a Bible study in Charleston, SC to understand how strong this loyalty is to avoid of any whisper about racism within a sermon.

Second, to the authors credit, they make mention of their ethnic identity (forgive me: I lost my bookmark and highlight for the page location) as White; of course, the dust jacket makes this a dead giveaway. But, their transparency intends to do what I’ve aimed at here: they understand their hermeneutics to have many influences, including their ethnic identity. I catch the struggle in their tone, and you will too. The authors perceive that they have limitations, and some of those are a function of their ethnic identity. Consequently, what some readers and I would want from them will not materialize. But, that leads to my final suggestion.

Go ahead and make the next research project about racism, young adults, and church. Not everything on this rubric will be about the “black-white” divide. None of the discussion in the book on race touched upon the problem of the “model minority” for Asian Americans. The urgency to consider the problems associated with migration remain acute for Latin/x youth, but also extend to African and Asian young adults. Some research has already started; see Chen and Jeung for an excellent discussion on the intersection of faith, ethnicity, and racism: just putting one of those into play engages the other two in a variety of manners.

Wow: I’m close to 1600 words. Sorry: This is an excellent book: Read it, take it to heart, but ask tough questions of their research. I strongly commend Growing Young.

I was provided a copy of Growing Young in return for an honest review.

[Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was full of insights and memorable stories about churches that are reaching young people today. It was practical, with lots of tips and ideas for church leaders eager to keep their congregations vibrant. It was inspirational, as the stories of success let us know that God's grace does work, that Christianity is not irrelevant to today's culture, and that thoughtfully approaching how we minister to young people can and does reap a reward.

I think it's important to note that at no point does this book indicate or even imply that our strategies or efforts can replace the work of the Holy Spirit. They acknowledge time and again that only through God's grace, working through the Gospel, can hearts be changed toward faith in Jesus. But when it comes to how an individual congregation keeps their young people grounded in that Gospel, and how that congregation gives their young people an understanding of their role in God's kingdom, there are philosophies, strategies, and ideas that have proved successful, and are worth considering. On the flipside, there are attitudes that show up in our churches sometimes that can make church feel hostile - or at the very least discouraging - to young people, which would drive them away from the congregation and thus away from the Word.

The book offers a variety of tools for discussion and generating ideas to identify those unhelpful and even sinful attitudes that may be present in your congregation's culture and correct them, as well as for identifying those areas where your congregation is doing well and celebrating what God is doing through you. It gives a wealth of ideas for how to go the next step, but presents it in an open and flexible way. This isn't a "do this and you will succeed" program, or a silver bullet prescription. It's a toolkit to help your congregation figure out what it needs to do in its context to reach young people.

Not all the ideas will work with all doctrinal traditions. At times I found myself shrugging and saying, "Well, that would run contrary to our understanding of X" - but that's going to happen with any ministry book. So take it for what it's worth. It's still very much worth the read. Pro tip: Keep a pad of paper handy to jot down notes or ideas, even as you highlight and make notes inside the book. I filled up several pages of side notes that never would have fit in the margins of the book.

[Johnathan Nazarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Using a heavy amount of research across a good sample of Christian and Catholic curves, Powell et al. detail several factors that have helped various congregation grow younger. In many cases, once dying churches were revitalized and began to grow numerically as the churches became more intentional about reaching and ministry to Young people and emerging adults. While providing great research and giving several practical examples, nothing presented was incredibly eye-opening, revelatory, or groundbreaking. Some topics were rather broad as well. Overall a good book for anyone struggling to attract and impact teenagers and young adults. But probably best read with other books with the same topic.

The premise is that "no major Christian tradition is growing in the US today" and the churches that remain are getting older and thereby dying off. The first point is simply not true. Apostolic Pentecostal churches, especially the UPCI, have been proven to be growing locally and organizationally, as well as young, in many cases. Though there are still many traditional check models that are declining, there are other things that are not mentioned in the book that lend to church growth. One is an emphasis on evangelizatiin and another on missional discipleship. Most dying churches have those things in common. True, growing churches have always been young churches, as young people breathe vitality into congregations. Ultimately, this book specifically aims at factors related to getting and keeping more young people, these principles cannot happen in isolation of the other factors I just mentioned.

The tone of the book falls a little flat, having more of a research type feel to it. Since it is ecumenical in nature, it lacks in expressing the mission of the check as a major factor in growth. Churches that are missional and evangelistic grow, and grow young. Not only is this a major factor that's overlooked, but it also makes the book feel a little full. Surprisingly so, as Powell is an amazing and passionate speaker. Unfortunately, whether through the editing process, the research nature of the book, or the evidence aim, that passion does not bleed into the pages like it does when she speaks at conferences about youth. It's just watered down. Still a worthy read for it's content. Just not easy to get through.

[George P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kara Powell, Jake Mulder, and Brad Griffin, Growing Young: 6 Essential Strategies to Help Young People Discover and Love Your Church (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2016).

“Multiple studies highlight that 40 to 50 percent of youth group seniors—like the young people in your church—drift from God and the faith community after they graduate from high school.”

Kara Powell, Jake Mulder, and Brad Griffin cite this statistic at the outset of their new book, Growing Young. The statistic alarmed me both because I am a minister concerned about trends that affect the church and also because I am a father concerned about the faith journeys of my own children. If you share my concerns, I encourage you to read this book, which outlines “6 essential strategies to help young people discover and love your church,” as the book’s subtitle puts it.

Those strategies emerged out of an intensive four-year research project led by Powell, Mulder, and Griffin under the auspices of the Fuller Youth Institute in Pasadena, California. The authors all work for FYI. If you’re interested in research methodology, make sure to read the Appendix.

What the research did not reveal was as interesting to me as what it did reveal. In the first chapter, the authors briefly outline “10 Qualities Your Church Doesn’t Need in Order to Grow Young.” That list includes:

A precise size
A trendy location or region
An exact age
A popular denomination…or lack of denomination
An off-the-charts cool quotient
A big, modern building
A big budget
A “contemporary” worship service
A watered-down teaching style
A hyper-entertaining ministry program

Some churches effectively engaging young people had these ten qualities, others didn’t. In other words, they weren’t necessary or sufficient for engaging young people.

So, what did the research reveal? It showed that churches that are “growing young” make six “core commitments”:

Unlock keychain leadership. Instead of centralizing authority, empower others—especially young people.
Empathize with today’s young people. Instead of judging or criticizing, step into the shoes of this generation.
Take Jesus’ message seriously. Instead of asserting formulaic gospel claims, welcome young people into a Jesus-centered way of life.
Fuel a warm community. Instead of focusing on cool worship or programs, aim for warm peer and intergenerational friendships.
Prioritize young people (and families) everywhere. Instead of giving lip service to how much young people matter, look for creative ways to tangibly support, resource, and involve them in all facets of your congregation.
Be the best neighbors. Instead of condemning the world outside your walls, enable young people to neighbor well locally and globally.

As a middle-aged man with three young children at home, I felt especially challenged by the second and third commitments.

Empathize with today’s young people. All people—me included—struggle with questions of identity (“Who am I?”), belonging (“Where do I fit?”), and purpose (“What difference do I make?”). But for a variety of reasons, today’s young people wrestle with these questions earlier, longer, and more intensely than previous generations. Churches who effectively engage today’s young people don’t make fun of or get exasperated with their struggles. Neither do they alleviate the wrestling with fluff or entertainment. Instead, they empathetically listen and respond with “grace, love, and mission.”

Take Jesus’ message seriously. The authors note that sociologists of religion have “identified the de facto religious belief system of teenagers today as moralistic therapeutic deism.” Basically, many of today’s young people think that God exists (deism) and wants people to be nice (moralistic) and happy (therapeutic). Beyond that, God isn’t much involved with or concerned about people. Unfortunately, many churches reinforce moralistic therapeutic deism by reducing Christianity to a behavioral code.

By contrast, churches that are growing young are making three key shifts:

Less talk about abstract beliefs and more talk about Jesus.
Less tied to formulas and more focused on a redemptive narrative.
Less about heaven later and more about life here and now.

This doesn’t mean that growing-young churches have ditched abstractions, formulas, or heaven, by the way. However, their emphasis is on who Christ is, what He has done for us, and how He wants us to act now in light of that. This is a biblically rooted, orthodox, and active faith.

As I read these chapters in particular, I kept asking myself: Do I empathize with young people in my church? With my own kids? Am I taking Jesus’ message seriously myself? Is this reflected in how I interact with young people in my church? With my own kids? When you read Growing Young, you may be challenged by a different set of the core commitments. I have highlighted the two that challenged me in order to give you a taste of how the details the authors provide for each commitment.

So, who should read Growing Young? Frankly, whoever cares about young people—clergy or laity, paid staff or volunteer, young or old. I’d especially encourage senior pastors to read it, however. They’re a church’s primary vision caster, mission bearer, and values leader. Engaging young people today can’t be delegated (or relegated) to the junior high, high school, college, and young adults ministries. Growing young must become part of the church’s culture.

_____
P.S. If you found this review helpful, please vote “Yes” on my Amazon.com review page.

P.P.S. You might also want to check out my Influence Podcast with Kara Powell. We talk in greater depth about the book.

[Mary Lou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review
Growing Young is written by three members of the Fuller Youth Institute—Brad Griffin, Kara Powell, and Jake Mulder. All three engaged in the research with a large number of congregations from very diverse backgrounds. That group was honed down to 41 of “the most noteworthy churches” and extensive interviews with members of those congregations at all age and leadership levels. The insights of the book were also buttressed by another layer of national leaders and youth specialists, and the previous experience in youth ministry of all three authors.

The hope of the authors is “to change how the world sees young people” (Kara Powell, Jake Mulder, Brad Griffin, Growing Young, Baker Books, 2016, p.28). There is every reason to believe their hope will be realized. They explain “six essential strategies to help young people discover and love your church” (the subtitle of the book). With the national trends of young people leaving the church as teenagers and emerging adults, this relevant, extensively researched book, written in a fresh engaging style, gives practical help and abundant hope to churches across the spectrum from older, declining congregations to church starts. A valuable asset for every church. 5 stars.
M.L. Codman-Wilson, Ph.D., 10/26/16

[Kerry Bond · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book because I want my churches to reach young people with the transforming power of the Gospel and I thought this book's title looked promising. Wrong! The book actually encourages churches to transform themselves into the likeness of the early 21st century American culture. The authors approvingly quote an 18-year-old from Minnesota who says: "We talk about big social issues...we definitely engage those. But we d o n't. t e l l p e o p l e w h a t to think about them." (246) Where's the teaching authority of such a church? The authors of the book say: "Another church publicly asked forgiveness from the same-sex community for its past quick judgments and lack of grace, emphasizing the God who is bigger than any conflict or debate." (246) What debate? The Bible has clear and unambiguous moral teachings about this topic.
Also, the authors seem to suggest that church should now be a "space for safe and honest dialogue so everyone-both young and old-can share their questions, beliefs, and experiences." (247). Does the image of a spiritual therapy room pop into young mind?
I am disappointed by the post-modern outlook of this book.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would label few books indispensable reading. But for any church seriously looking to halt the aging process and reverse its trajectory towards organizational demise, this book is indispensable. It is research driven, which means you are getting a clear, vivid, and accurate representation of what it takes for churches to grow young. The authors have written the book to be as practical as possible, and you can feel their heart for dying (or aging) churches on almost every page. They promise no silver bullets, and they do their best to keep the church leader grounded as he or she reads stories of success and methods for effective change. It even walks the reader through the processes necessary to grow your church young, offering numerous questions that force you to analyze your current condition, articulate your desired future condition, and plot the path in order to get there. If you are in an aging church and you feel the urgency and necessity of building a younger membership, you'll not find a better resource than this one.

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not sure what to make of the reviews saying this book is hard to get through. I think it is exceptionally clear and at least presents ideas/solutions for growing young backed by their research. Each section is well-focused and tackles major aspects to a ministry, and is encouraging as they give suggestions on how to grow.

I won't knock it for this, because I don't think this was their intention, but this book is not all that theological. And coupled with that, I couldn't help but think that perhaps there are things that are effective on paper, that is, in tangible, measurable ways, but does that mean that's the best way to think about it? Everything sounded good, but I imagine that was the case 20-40 years ago with the rise of so many megachurches...long-term, however, many of the strategies used proved to be unviable for creating committed disciples.

All in all, every church with a youth program or wanting a youth program should read this book. Highly researched, well-written, practical, and encouraging.

[Lou Florio · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is researched base, so some might struggle getting through it or connecting findings to their context. Some reviews suggested the book’s assertions obvious - such as youth and young adults desiring authenticity - yet many congregations fail. They try to follow trends or be something they are not. Another mistake is not meeting people as they are amidst differences. Being all things to all people as St. Paul indicated infers that it’s probably not best to always lead with the law. As a Lutheran, I see Law and Gospel can be a means of connection and transformation. The research helps one identify points to attend to but the harder work comes from understanding and applying it to one’s individual context. The research is consistent with that found in my own thesis research for my Masters. It reflects what I’ve observed in mission working with youth and young adults. I highly recommend this book if you want to discern what it means to be a healthy, “growing young” church.

[Anthony Risson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worth reading, both encouraging to hear the stories of churches that are navigating the way of Jesus faithfully - at the same time, there is a challenge to recognise how to make changes wisely and confidently. Read this at the suggestion of my brother and have now given it to a friend for their insights.
I appreciated that the approach of the authors was not a one size fits all 'solution', nor were they advocating for a particular trend or model of being church. Instead, it was an encouragement to allow the focus of the church to be open to the possibility, including younger people in decision making processes, and implementation of ideas, can be a catalyst for a healthy and sustainable way of being church. Will share this with other Elders and leaders - reading in conjunction with "At the Blue Hole: An Elegy for a Church on the Edge" and "Churches and the crisis of decline". Will be very interested to see what is prompted in our conversation and activity.

[Bret Hicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Growing Young by Kara Powell, Jake Mulder, and Brad Griffin (Audible). I read this book based on a recommendation in an article. The book is based on research of churches that are successfully reaching younger generations. It has a lot of good information, but it was a bit difficult for me for a few reasons. First, these type of books full of research data are a harder read for me. Second, the data is prior to COVID, which accelerated certain cultural trends, so I wonder how it would look now. Finally, and most importantly, I listened to it, and this is a book that needs to be read in print. Because of the charts, tables, data, and questions to answer, the audio (and even Kindle) versions lose a lot of the value. Just a reminder that some books are great for audio and some are not. But with that said, there is still a lot of food for thought here.

[Garrett Bagwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Fuller Youth Institute (FYI) has become a leader in writing for ministries seeking to lead the next generation because of their commitment to research-based, practically-minded, story-filled books like this one.

This book is loaded with practical steps and advice for church leaders at every level who wish to see their congregations infused with the vitality and vibrancy of a young, emerging generation. It is approachable to those who might be hesitant toward its claims and it is invigorating toward those who are already onboard and want to implement the changes it calls for. This book should be on every youth pastor’s book shelf—and they should all convince their Senior or central leadership to read through it with them.

[Schmitty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fuller Youth Institute did an amazing job with this detailed study on bringing younger generations into the Church. The principles found within have stuck with me long after each chapter ended.

Fair warning, the first chapter/introduction is the most difficult to read through, as it goes into detail on how the study was approached and executed. The real content begins in Chapter two, so please do not be dissuaded as you read the statistics and hypotheses found in the first few pages. The rest is gold!

[Jonathan Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gave me a lot of good ideas and a plan of attack for the future. I like the focus and the research of this book. It seems well thought out and practical. However, it is tough to put the Holy Spirit in a box and say this is the way He is going to do it, but also He could do it that way…so it is hard to tell how He will use the material here. It could be amazing and from the Lord or it could be just another “how to” book. Time will tell. It made me think and gave me ideas and for that I am grateful.

[Rene Flores · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book to read when starting youth ministry and through out!

It’s not a 12 step law book; more of like guidelines to follow, much like Proverbs are not biblical promises but rather principles. That usually can deliver excellence when applied to ministry looking to engage younger people.

Some parts are overwhelming due to book layout is more akin to a text book for school. Yet, it is chock full of information to back its claims.

It is a book you can and should slow read to take proper notes, and gather ideas of application with a heavy dose of context.

[KRL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Growing Young is a great resource for leaders, ministers, parents, volunteers, and anyone who wants to invest in the lives and faith of children and youth. Growing Young challenges youth and adults to work together to create a space where everyone can thrive and grow in their faith. The authors give practical strategies that can be implemented immediately, and some that require strategic planning. Most churches can improve in "growing young" and this book is a great first step to getting there.

[Mike Wardrop · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wise strategies for older churches

For a church aware of its own mortality, or churches not actively engaged in growing young, this book provides strategic help and core ideas that can help you begin to stem the flow.
Those already engaged in this will hopefully feel affirmed, encouraged and get fresh eyes for future endeavours.

Terrific research and a heart for the local church!

[Cricket Z · Rating 2 out of 5]

Have you ever read a book and thought, "I wonder when this was written?" and then checked five times because you didn't believebthe book could be so recent? I just did. While some of the concepts in the book are nice and I think would work, I felt that the book itself didn't follow its principles for growingnyoung. The book felt paternalistic and patronizing. And yes, I read it all in one day. But if it had not been a requirement for school, I woukd have stopped reading in the second chaptwr.