October Ministry Reflection: Walking with Our Youth from Sunday School to Adulthood

Earlier this year, OYM asked clergy across the country about the state of youth and young adult ministry in their parishes. Their responses were honest, often sobering, and deeply instructive for our work going forward. We will be publishing the full report soon, but I wanted to share with you some key takeaways.

The strongest area by far was Sunday School. Almost every parish reported steady numbers of children, sometimes a handful and sometimes dozens, faithfully showing up each week. In many Orthodox parishes across America, Sunday School remains the most consistent way that young people encounter the Church outside of Divine Liturgy. This is encouraging because it shows that many parents are still making the effort to bring their children to church, and that parishes are doing what they can to pass down the faith in those early years.

But when we looked at ministry to teenagers and young adults, the story changed dramatically. Youth groups existed in some parishes, often averaging only 10–20 participants, but clergy repeatedly described them as “fragile.” Many of these ministries depended on one or two overextended volunteers and competed constantly with sports, technology, and the general busyness of family life. And young adult ministry? In many parishes, it barely exists. Several priests told us they could count the number of regularly engaged young adults on one hand. Others admitted that they simply had no consistent way of reaching them at all.

This gap is critical. Our young people may enter through Sunday School, but too often we lose them in the teenage years and almost entirely in young adulthood. The clergy survey makes it clear: youth ministry is not just about starting strong, but is also about walking with our young people long enough that they can carry their faith into adulthood. It isn’t just about programs; it’s about forming lifelong relationships with the person.

When asked what would increase engagement, priests consistently pointed to two things above all else: parents and leadership. Over one-third of clergy said that when parents prioritize church over the more common American youth endeavors of sports and other extracurricular activities, their children are more present. But it goes deeper than calendars and scheduling. Life at home—whether prayer is offered, whether faith is spoken of naturally, whether Scripture and the lives of the saints are shared, whether family meals and conversations include Christ—this is where faith is either nurtured or neglected. Clergy told us plainly: if Christ is not present in the home, no parish program can make up for it. Parents remain the first teachers, the first icons of faith, and the first example of what it means to love God and neighbor.

The second factor clergy named was leadership. Another third said the greatest need was dedicated leaders. This could be trained volunteers or, in larger parishes, paid youth workers who could provide structure and continuity. Many entire American cities with multiple Orthodox parishes do not have a single paid youth worker or ministry facilitator other than priests. Without parental commitment at home and leadership within the parish, no program, no matter how well-designed, can stand on its own.

The survey also asked what concerns clergy most. Nearly 30% pointed to technology, social media, and pornography as the biggest threats to youth. Others named secularism, overscheduled families, mental health struggles, and the confusion around sexuality and gender. Many described a general sense of isolation among youth, where digital life has replaced real relationships. Taken together, these responses show how serious the cultural headwinds are, and why our parishes cannot face them alone. They also show why the relational focus of Orthodoxy is uniquely capable of helping the many families navigating these challenges across the U.S.

Our Church, upon the bedrock of Christ, is our hope. Priests shared that they are seeing conversions, particularly among young adults who are hungry for authenticity. They spoke of retreats, camps, and inter-parish events that continue to inspire real engagement. They reminded us that when clergy themselves are present and invested in the lives of youth, young people respond. And they affirmed that relationships, liturgical life, and responsibility—not just curricula and programs—are what truly keep our youth connected to the Church.

Perhaps most importantly, clergy told us what they want from OYM and its network of Orthodox youth and young adult ministries. They asked us to help equip parents, because the family remains the first and most important “little church.” They urged us to foster collaboration across parishes and jurisdictions, since no community can thrive in isolation. And they asked us to help train volunteers and facilitate ministries that do not stop at childhood, but continue into adolescence, college, and young adulthood.

The message of the survey is clear: we Orthodox are doing something right with children, but we are missing important opportunities to engage them in the Faith as they grow older. If we do not accompany them through the teenage years, into young adulthood, and support them as they begin raising their own families, we risk losing them at the very moment when they are deciding what role faith will play in their lives. This is why OYM and our vast ministry network must stand with our priests, our families, and our parishes. Not by offering yet another program, but with presence. Not with abstract ideas, but with leaders and mentors who can walk alongside our young people and show them the way to Christ. 

I believe the many outstanding youth ministry leaders across our jurisdictions are ready for this moment, and I am humbled to help support these incredible efforts across the many Orthodox parishes of this land. May we all hear our clergy and rise to the challenge of bringing the fullness and beauty of our Faith to our most cherished treasure: our children.