VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 8/18/15)—According to the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion and Public Life, many young adults who are currently unaffiliated with a religion elected that decision by leaving the religion of their upbringing and not becoming involved with a new faith. Yet, a significant minority of these young adults do return to the church. In Reclaimed: Faith in an Emerging Generation, the newest book from Judson Press, author, researcher, and professor Denise Janssen offers answers to the question of why so many have left the church—and what brings them back.
Many church leaders are concerned about the departure of millennials. Congregations want to understand why this is happening and what to do (and not do) about it. Based on in-depth interviews with young adults, Reclaimed uncovers personal stories and rich reflections on the positive and not-so-positive aspects of church life. Going a step further, Janssen uncovers patterns and commonalities in these young adults’ journeys from and return to active congregational life, and offers recommendations to understand, nurture, and sustain the faith of this emerging generation.
This invaluable and insightful resource equips congregations seeking to help youth through the transition from adolescence to adulthood, as well as those empowering churches that hope to welcome other young adults into their midst.
About the Author
Denise Janssen, MDiv, PhD, is Assistant Professor of Christian Education at Virginia Union University in Richmond. An ordained American Baptist Churches USA minister, Denise has served as pastor of a United Methodist congregation and several different Baptist churches.
Founded in 1824, Judson Press is a publishing ministry of the American Baptist Home Mission Societies, American Baptist Churches USA. It is committed to producing Christ-centered leadership resources for the transformation of individuals, congregations, communities, and cultures.
American Baptist Home Mission Societies—the domestic mission arm of American Baptist Churches USA (ABCUSA)—ministers as the caring heart and serving hands of Jesus Christ across the United States and Puerto Rico through a multitude of initiatives that focus on discipleship, community, and justice.
American Baptist Churches USA is one of the most diverse Christian denominations today, with over 5,200 local congregations comprised of 1.3 million members, across the United States and Puerto Rico, all engaged in God’s mission around the world.