Maybe that scenario sounds familiar to you. Or maybe you’re pastoring people in that situation. Whether you’re a young adult yourself or responsible for discipling young adults (or both!), it’s fair to say life as a Christian millennial or Gen-Zer raises a lot of questions.

We wanted to help with that. So LICC’s latest research report, Frontline Lives of 18–35s in the UK, provides a candid look into the experiences of young UK Christians. Their journey is marked by a desire to be faithful to their beliefs in a way that influences their frontlines.[1] But challenges persist – including how to share their faith well and find purpose in everyday work.

Though they’re far from a homogenous block, 18–35s are the canaries in our cultural coalmine. To engage this generation is to engage the wider cultural forces that are shaping both them and the wider UK church. And for young adults who prioritise authenticity in their lives and relationships, a compartmentalised gospel will not do. Good news indeed then, that the gospel of Jesus and his kingdom is a message that ‘all things’ are being reconciled to God.

Inspired by a report from Barna and Worldvision indicating that 73% of young adults raised in a Christian home have dropped out of church by the time they are 35^[2], our study explored the experiences of young adults who are staying in church. It seeks to better understand how they live out their faith on their ‘frontlines’ so that the church in the UK can celebrate, learn from, and empower their discipleship.

At the end, we’d found six characteristics and five questions that characterised these disciples – and off the back of those, we make three recommendations for church leaders and those involved in ministry to young adults.

Six characteristics of 18–35-year-old disciples

1. They are an enriching and positive presence.
2. Their relationships really matter to them.
3. They are psychologically aware.
4. They are conscientious contributors.
5. Their personal relationships are the main influences on their discipleship.
6. They primarily relate to God as shepherd or father. 

Five questions 18–35-year-old disciples are struggling with

1. How do I share my faith without losing my friends?
2. How do I find purpose in my actual work?
3. How can I establish healthy rhythms?
4. How do I stay human in an inhuman system?
5. How can I make connections with mentors and peers?

Recommendations for people discipling young adults 

1. Listen to – and celebrate – young adults’ experiencesFrustrated that young adults are flakey, too tired or too busy to serve at church? Let’s reframe that: young adults’ busy lives are the work of your church, scattered in the world Monday to Saturday, bringing salt and light across a multitude of frontlines. Let’s publicly tell their stories, encourage them, and pray for them.
2. Engage young adults’ questionsWe must take a holistic view of the gospel and its application to the questions young adults are asking. For too long, a sacred-secular divide has insidiously shaped our church cultures and gospel proclamation. Getting beyond this divide takes thought, intentionality, and commitment. Work to expand your vision for a gospel that speaks to the questions young adults are actually asking, not just the questions we wish they were.
3. Foster interdependence in your church community‘Binding’, as in a rugby scrum, is a picture of up-close-and-personal interdependence, in which the whole is stronger than the parts. Mixed-age small groups, mentoring schemes, and contributions to meaningful leadership and decision-making are ways to ‘bind’ young adults to church.

Remember Jonathan?

We met him on his way home from work, reflecting on what it meant to be a Christian there. Imagine the radical shift in perspective he might gain if he was discipled to see his whole life as an arena for Christ’s mission.

Walking home on a Friday evening, Jonathan thought back over his week. Like before, he hadn’t found the chance for a conversation about Jesus with a fellow grad. But he did think about the time he modelled godly character. He did think about the time he made good work. He thought about instances where he’d ministered grace and love, been a mouthpiece for truth and justice, and tried to mould the culture of the office. And he remained hopeful for conversations about his faith – but knew he was living in his missional calling whether they happened next week or not.

At LICC, we’re committed to engaging 18–35s with a vision of whole-life discipleship, and we present this report and recommendations with the hope they stimulate further conversation and collaboration in the UK church.