10 Ways to Scare Off Young Adults From Your Church, August 28, 2025

​A Word to the Wise: 10 Ways to Scare Off Young Adults From Your Church (P. J. Dunn)
 
1. Your Google Maps listing
If young adults can’t find you, they won’t connect with you.

• 86% of consumers utilize Google Maps to find companies.
• 76% of local smartphone searches lead to a visit within a day.

One free and highly effective way to reach young adults is for a church to claim its Google Maps church listing. 
2. Your social media and live stream
3. Your website and/or app
4. Your church sign and branding 
5. Your church calendar and software
If everything’s important, nothing is.
6. Your discipleship communication 
Don’t advertise programs. Tell stories.
7. Your environments
8. Your people
Your greeters open more than doors; they open hearts.
9. Your authenticity
10. Your why
If your why is unclear, your what won’t matter.

• Churches that fail to communicate their mission drift into routines and programs.
• Young adults want purpose, not business.

P. J. Dunn, Commentary: 10 Ways to Scare Off Young Adults, The Christian Index, 8.26.25
https://christianindex.org/stories/commentary-10-ways-to-scare-off-young-adults-from-your-church,103756
 

Here are Four Things to Know this Week:

1. The Silent Crisis in Church Facilities: Understanding Deferred Maintenance Ratio  (Sam Rainer, Church Answers)
2. First Person: Procrastination (Dan Summerlin, Kentucky Today)  
   
3. Discipleship is a Priority Without a Plan (Aaron Earls, Lifeway Research)
4. First Person: 6 Reasons I Still Believe in the Cooperative Program (Spencer Bell, Baptist Press)  
   

Thank you for reading. Please share it with pastors and other AMSs you believe would benefit.
 
To the praise of His glory,
 
Ray
 
P. S. I also host the “SBCAL Podcast with Ray Gentry” where ever you get your podcasts.