The largest generation in the United States is now the smallest representation of those who actively attend LCMS churches. Even more shocking, up to 35 percent of Millennials chose to not identify with any religion, far more than any previous generation. Why is this?In 2016, the LCMS Youth Ministry and LCMS Research embarked on a special accounting of the millennial generation. This three-phase research project, composed of surveys and focus groups, aimed to understand retention rates of LCMS millennials. The conclusions of the research are found here, hoping to give church leaders a better understanding of these retention rates and why those who left the LCMS decided to, potential areas where the church can improve retention rates for future generations, and inform the church on how to better minister to today's young adults. This is the only research specifically targeted at young adults who were raised LCMS but later left.
