Last July the first national assembly of Presbyterian youth, Connection '97, was held on the campus of Slippery Rock University. The event offered youth and adult delegates from every presbytery the opportunity to participate in worship, workshops, recreation, and legislative sessions patterned after General Assembly (including one session that lasted until 1:30 a.m.!).
At the request of the Office of Youth Ministry, Research Services surveyed the youth delegates to develop a snapshot of the young people participating in this event. Approximately 90 percent of the youth delegates completed a questionnaire. The results provide an interesting look at young leaders in the Presbyterian Church.
Who They Are
Sixty-six percent of youth delegates are female, 83% are between the ages of fifteen and seventeen, and 72% live in households with four or fewer people. Ninety percent of youth delegates plan to attend a 4-year college in the first year after high school. Like members in the larger church, the vast majority of this group (86%) is white. Only 23% of delegates have ever belonged to a non-Presbyterian congregation. In contrast, 59% of Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) members at large have, at some time, belonged to a congregation affiliated with another denomination. Among the other denominations to which delegates have belonged, Methodist was mentioned most often. This is true for PCUSA members, as well.
Church Activities
These young people are very active in their congregations. When asked how often they attend Sunday worship services, 85% reported attending nearly every week or every week. Most attend with parent(s) or guardian(s). Almost half (41%) serve as officers of their youth groups. More than one-third of the delegates are choir members, committee members, or members of PCUSA youth organizations beyond their congregation. During the previous school year, 66% of delegates regularly attended church school and 82% regularly attended youth programs at their church.
The most important reason in delegates' decision to attend youth group was for my growth as a Christian (rated "very important" or "important" by 98%). That was followed by service projects, being with friends, recreation activities, and issue-oriented programming. Almost two- thirds of the delegates rated parental expectations as "not very important" or "not at all important" in deciding to attend youth group.
Religious Life
Seventy-two percent of delegates pray at least once a day. When they pray, 97% talk with God in their own words. Over half (58%) of delegates are either "satisfied" or "very satisfied" with their prayer life. When asked the same questions, 66% of PCUSA members reported that they pray at least once a day, 98% talk with God in their own words, and 54% are satisfied with their prayer life. Thirty-seven% of delegates report that they read the Bible privately at least weekly, with 9% doing so daily. Among PCUSA members, 39% read the Bible in private at least weekly and 16% do so daily.
Community Service
In addition to participating in activities in their congregations, 77% of delegates volunteered their time to help the less fortunate or to make their communities a better place to live in the previous school year. The figure shows the reasons youth delegates rated as important in their decisions to take part is such volunteer work.
These young leaders have an active church and devotional life, similar to- and sometimes exceeding--that found among the membership at large. We do not know if this is representative of Presbyterian young people, in general, or of young people in recent years. However, this is an encouraging look at individuals who are likely to be among the denomination's future leaders.
Research Services