All churches grow old … but strategic churches are growing young

Churches are both shrinking and aging as more 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 young people. It profiles innovative churches engaging 15- to 29-year-olds that are growing–spiritually, emotionally, missionally, and numerically. Packed with ideas, Growing Young shows ministry leaders how to position their churches to reach younger generations in a way that breathes life into the whole church.

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Top US denominational leaders are Growing Young.

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“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

US Church Traditions Represented71%

US States Visited80%

Non-White or Multiethnic Churches Represented51%

US churches with lowering median age6%

Traditions with lowering median age0%

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Our Research

For the past 10 years, we have researched faith transmission through the college transition, parenting in the digital age, church systems, and extended emerging adulthood.

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Our Training

We offer yearly Cohorts, one-on-one consulting, online training, as well as books and films.

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Keychain

Warm

Message

Empathy

Priority

Neighbor

Kara Powell

Kara Powell is the executive director of the Fuller Youth Institute and a faculty member at Fuller Theological Seminary. Named by Christianity Today as one of “50 Women to Watch,” Kara is the author or coauthor of several books, including Sticky Faith, and a regular speaker at national leadership and youth ministry conferences across the country.

Jake Mulder

Jake Mulder is the Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Fuller Youth Institute. He has worked in a variety of ministry and professional roles, including as a youth pastor in the Reformed Church of America, ministry director with Youth for Christ, and missionary with Youth With A Mission (YWAM) in Europe and Asia.

Brad Griffin

Brad Griffin is associate director of the Fuller Youth Institute. A speaker, blogger, and youth pastor, Brad is the coauthor of several Sticky Faith resources, as well as Can I Ask That? 8 Hard Questions about God and Faith. He speaks nationally at churches, denominational training events, and youth ministry conferences.

Fuller Youth Institute

Research into Resources

The Fuller Youth Institute exists to bring hope to churches by translating academic research into practical resources. We serve leaders, youth workers and parents, with the vision of transforming the way the world sees young people.

Our Vision

Unleash the passion of young people in your 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.”