Date

3-2021

Department

Rawlings School of Divinity

Degree

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

Chair

Michael Eiras

Keywords

Low Attendance, Young Adults, Church Growth, Emmanuel Church, Low Retention, Absence of Young Adults

Disciplines

Christianity | Religion

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to address the issue of low attendance in Emmanuel Church among young adults. This topic is based on the investigator's awareness that individuals who grow up in Emmanuel discontinue attendance between the ages of eighteen to twenty-nine years. The literature review revealed that many churches commonly experience this problem. Emmanuel Church is primarily made up of Jamaicans and their descendants, and no literature addressed the immediate context of Emmanuel Church. The investigator interviewed twenty young adults who were previous members of Emmanuel Church. The study revealed that young adults leave Emmanuel in record numbers. Some of the contributing factors identified include parental influences, traditionalism, weak leadership teams, insufficient community involvement, and an inability to convey a holistic approach to life. Although a few of them no longer attend any church, most young adults who no longer attend Emmanuel are actively attending other churches. This study's significance is that it analyses the context of Emmanuel and informs the church on a theological and theoretical basis for the study. The church must retain young adults to maintain Christianity both locally and globally. Christianity is sustained by impartation from one generation to the next. Without young adults, there will be a failure in the advancement of Christianity. As a result of the study, the investigator prepared several strategies to present to Emmanuel Church to increase young adults' retention.

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