Churches Trying to Bring ‘Baby Busters’ Back Into the Fold : Youth: Special services and outreach efforts are aimed at 18-to-35 age group not served by family ministries.

The Rev. Ed Young is not afraid to throw a football at “baby busters” in his Southern Baptist church. Other churches will schedule special services just for them.

And the Roman Catholic Church, seeking to capitalize on the success of World Youth Day last summer, recently decided to develop a national pastoral plan for its 18- to 35-year-old members.

They are the in-between generation, many of whom have left the sanctum of religious youth education but have not found their place in churches that emphasize family ministries.

For years, many churches were resigned to losing some youths in their early 20s, writing them off as part of a youthful search for independence that would end with their return after marriage when they would seek a religious home for their children.

But new research shows that in an increasingly secular society where the traditional two-parent family and social pressures for religious affiliation are declining, there are no guarantees that baby busters will ever return.

In response, religious groups are learning new ways to attract and keep young adults in the pews.

Hoping to build on the enthusiasm of the tens of thousands of high school students who attended World Youth Day called by Pope John Paul II in Denver, U.S. Catholic bishops recently approved a three-year project to develop ministry programs for young adults.

“We hope that the development of a ministry for this age group will say loud and clear that not only is there a place for young adults in the Catholic Church, but there is also a need for them to take on more responsibility for what the church does,” said Msgr. Dennis Schnurr, executive director of World Youth Day. “We’re not about to squander the idealism and enthusiasm we saw at World Youth Day.”

Paul Henderson, a national youth specialist for the Catholic Church, said many young adults have said they are looking for a sense of belonging in a church that often orients its ministries to families.

They do not necessarily have to lead the parish council, he said. “A lot of times, it’s something much more simple--just to be acknowledged that they’re there,” he said.

There are some important differences in the baby buster generation, church leaders say. In general, they are waiting longer to marry, postponing a natural port of entry into the church when they have children.

And clergy can forget about many members of the 22-to-35 age group sticking around if there are no programs for their age groups.

“They want to jump in with both feet,” said the Rev. Linda Grenz, coordinator of adult education for the Episcopal Church.

Some successful ministries for young adults include offering four- to six-week classes that give them lots of options and do not force them to make long-term commitments, she said.

Some churches even create “parallel congregations” to offer services for baby boomers and busters that give them the environment and music that is meaningful to them.

If they are not involved in the church by the third or fourth visit, young adults may look elsewhere, Grenz said.

At the Fellowship of Las Colinas in a Dallas suburb, Young does not even wait that long to get people involved. After their first visit, he enlists young adults in such ministries as greeting people in the parking lot.

Young also keeps his services under an hour, and uses videotape and drama to get his message across to young adults. On “Cowboy Days,” Young may dress in a football uniform and throw a pigskin into the seats at services.

But if they sometimes seem like a demanding generation, they also can be rewarding to work with.

“I’m really excited about this age group because they’re spontaneous. They’re fun to talk to and they add a lot of excitement to the church,” Young said.

“There is an enthusiasm for the faith. At the same time, there is a certain frustration . . . what are the channels” for participation, Schnurr said.

But he sees change occurring. The Second Vatican Council gave the laity an increased role in several ministries. Although older adults tended to be the first to take on those roles, Schnurr said, the church has gone through a generation of increased lay participation and “the young adults are beginning to make their presence known.”