Young Adults
"Young adults have
a broader sense of
community than
older generations."
SHELLI HAYNES
Young adults look forward to all the exciting
life experiences that are ahead of them, while
living in a constant state of flux. Young adults are
wonderfully talented. Although they have many
aspects of their lives "together," they are still trying
to figure life out on many levels. Today's young
adults face a complicated, multi-layered world that
is fast-paced, competitive, and, at times, anxious.
Looking behind them, young adults see years
of milestones and accomplishments that have
built them into the confident people they have
become. But looking ahead is far murkier. Young
adults are encountering many changes and
new responsibilities, and often this can be both
exhilarating and scary at once. Young adults
are very clear about not being high schoolers
anymore, but in their quest to be true to
themselves, their new personhood is emerging
and transitory.
Young adults are in a "caught-in-between" phase
of development; they might seem confident one
day and extremely insecure the next. Parents
and teachers may need to apply new skill sets to
transform relationships with young adults from
an authoritative model into more of a coaching or
mentoring relationship.
At college, Kiri balances her
class schedule, social life, and
other daily routines. Being on
her own is exhilarating but scary.
Making friends is a little harder
than she thought it might be.
Even her faith seems different. If
she goes to church, it's up to her
to figure out how to get there;
if she wants relationships, she
needs to make them herself.
Kiri is eager for adults to trust
her to make wise choices.
Brian attends HVAC school.
He's balancing a full-time job
while paying off loans, rent, and
utilities. Brian has friends at work
but often feels lonely since many
of his high school buddies went
to college. He attends church and
Bible study and is trying to gain
a leadership role in the choir.
Kiri and Brian are passionate
about making a difference in the
world. They will be an integral
part of their churches if they are
taken seriously and allowed to
foster honest relationships in the
community. They want adults to
know they are making their own
way in the world, even if they
don't agree with everything their
mentors stand for. They need
compassion and sometimes
money but do not want to be
told what to do or how to do it.
A Day in the Life
Young Adults • 1 • cph.org • Copyright © 2019 Concordia Publishing House
