Teen Trend Predictions for 2008

Teen Trend Predictions for 2008

Audrey Barrick, Christian Post Reporter, wrote an article about trends among teens.  The part that  struck me most was the following trend, and I quote:

There will be a rising cynicism toward organized religion among teens

While the Millennials do not necessarily harbor negative feelings toward Jesus, they are increasingly disconnecting from the traditional institutions of organized religion. Emancipating themselves from the institutions of their parents, Christian teens will increasingly reject the established, structured churches of their parents’ generation to create newer, more unstructured approaches to living out the spiritual dimension of their lives, exploring options ranging from internet message board communities of faith to gathering with their friends over lattes at their local Starbucks to talk about spiritual things. As evangelistic atheism becomes more prevalent, as evidenced by the number of atheist-authored books recently appearing on the bestsellers list, it will find increasingly fertile ground among teens disillusioned by organized religion.

This seems consistent with other research and suggests a need to develop new methods and strategies for reaching teens.

See also Another interesting article entitled

New National Poll: Nearly 40 Percent of “Ethically Prepared” Teens Believe Lying, Cheating, or Violence Necessary to Succeed