Religiously affiliated Americans are a waning population. New research from Pew tells us 23 percent of the U.S. population now identifies as atheists, agnostics or “nothing in particular.” 

However, it’s not necessarily bad news. As Pew reports, “the growth of the ‘nones’ may simply indicate that people who are not religious are becoming more forthright and willing to say they have no religious affiliation, perhaps because being a ‘none’ has become more socially acceptable.”

Author Kara Powell has researched what helps young people develop faith that “sticks,” and she says, “Of 13 different youth group variables we examined, the one most correlated with Sticky Faith was intergenerational relationships and worship…  We are inviting churches of all sizes to figure out how to help young people be embraced by, and feel part of, not just the youth ministry but also the entire congregation.” 

What will you do this week to reach the “nones”?