There is a great deal of concern among evangelicals that a high proportion of young adults are leaving the church. In fact, on March 10, 2006, the Board of Directors of the National Association of Evangelicals passed a resolution on engaging and empowering the young generation based among other things on the rationale that “the epidemic of young people leaving the evangelical church indicates the need for committed and strategic planning as well as creative and innovative approaches in youth ministry for the 21st century.” While the warnings of losses of 95% or higher are probably more alarmist than accurate, there is no doubt a need for strategic planning and new approaches.

In the Church of the Nazarene in the USA and Canada there has been a sharp decline over the last 20 years in the reported number of young adults enrolled or included on Sunday school responsibility lists.


While the proportion of college age Nazarenes reported to be attending college has remained around 60% in recent years, the proportion of those college students who are attending a Nazarene university or college has declined.