camporee youth beliefs and values...

More than half of those surveyed say that it is “Always true” that they love the church and would never leave for any reason. Another 38% agree that this is o=en or some?mes true with them, too. Only 6% par?ally or totally rejected the idea that they loved the church and would never leave it for any reason. Closer examina?on revealed this is always true for 45% of Canadians, 56% of the respondents from the USA, and 66% of the interna?onal visitors to the Camporee. This commitment to s?ck with the Adven?st church is highest for those in the age group 14 years and less (72% say “Always”), while 66% of those above 30 share this view; 51% of college age students agree, 46% of those aRending high school affirm this view, as well as 44% of post-‐college young adults (23-‐30).

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More than half the respondents surveyed gladly invite their friends to worship with them in church. However, in almost two out of five cases this is rarely or never the case. While 45% of Asians say it is “O=en true” or “Always true,” only 29% of Blacks/African-‐American say the same. It is worth inves?ga?ng to determine if there are cultural or other factors that may be responsible for this finding among these groups.

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Slightly less than half of the youth agree they would love to introduce friends to their local church. The data also reveals the following tendency: the older the youth, the more they report that this is true.

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Almost two-‐thirds of the youth “Agree” or “Strongly agree” that the programs of the church are sufficient to meet their needs. There is a significant 36% difference between the males and the females on this issue. More male youth are strongly in agreement on this subject than their female counterparts; this calls for more inves?ga?on. It may be sugges?ve of the bias to male-‐oriented programs depending on the gender of the youth leaders.

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More than four of every five youth “Agree” or “Strongly agree” that they feel accepted in their church. Interes?ngly, 54% of youth below 14 years of age “Strongly agree,” but only 36.8% of those between ages 15-‐18 “Strongly agree.”

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Three out of four youth “Agree” or “Strongly agree” that their church helps them grow spiritually. However, further analysis reveals differences between the age categories on this ques?on. 89% of youth of ages 14 years and below “Strongly agree,” while 68% of those between ages 15-‐18 “Strongly agree” – a decrease of 31%. It appears that for these respondents the church is more effec?ve in helping younger people grow spiritually than the 15 – 18 year olds.

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The Scriptures are the primary agency by which the youth get to know more about God for over 90% of the youth. Experience comes a close second for knowing more about God. It is noteworthy that this factor grows in significance among youth from those in elementary schools (86%) to 91% for those in academy/high school and 97% for college age youth. Worship, for nine out of ten youth is another important means of knowing God. There is a slight difference between Black/African American youth (93%) and White youth (90%), Hispanics (88%), and Asians (85%). Interes?ngly, worship plays a very crucial role for those youth above 30 years of age (99%), while for youth between ages 20-‐30 years it measured at 84%. Stories, just as studies revealed (Ford, 1995; Celek and Zander 1996; Wraight, 2007) are s?ll among the successful means for youth to know about God. Helping others, or gedng involved in the lives of those around them helps youth know more about God. This is fully in harmony with the profile from studies concerning young adults. Interes?ngly, as the age range increases, so does the importance of this factor in knowing God: below 18 years (84%); 19-‐30 years (90%);

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About four in five youth strongly believe they know that God loves them no maRer what they do. When the number of those who agree is added the percentage increases to 93%. There is an interes?ng difference in youth responses to the statement, “I know that to be saved I must live by God’s rules.” Forty-‐three percent of youth aRending Adven?st schools agree with this view compared with 55% of those who aRend public schools. Another revealing finding is that while more than half (53%) of youth who are 18 years and below “Strongly agree” to this view, among young adults aged between 19-‐30 only a third of them (33%) strongly agree with this view. In terms of ethnicity, African Americans/Blacks agreed the most (87.1%) with this statement, followed by Hispanics (78.9%), Asian youth (73.8%) and White youth (70.1%).

In response to the statement, “There is nothing I can do to earn salva?on,” nearly half (48%) of youth aRending Adven?st schools either agree or strongly agree. However, only one-‐third (32%) of Adven?st youth in public schools either agree or strongly disagree.

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Respondents generally looked forward to the Sabbath day with joy. Only 5% of them rarely or never found this true in their experience. With more than a third of them this was always the case, whereas, with slightly less than this number this was o=en true. Age also seems to be a factor in the an?cipa?on and enjoyment of the Sabbath: 69% of youth 18 years and below o=en or always look forward to this day, while 78% of young adults between ages 19-‐30 look forward with an?cipa?on, and 89% of youth above 30 years look forward to the Sabbath day with joy.

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Although around 70% of those surveyed would like to make some kind of changes in the way worship is done in their churches, this is only “Always true” for 20%, and “O=en true” for 21%. The majority of the respondents fell under the category of those who “Some?mes” wanted to see changes made (30%). While 10% of 14 years and younger “Always” want to make changes in the way they worship in the church, the number increases to 23% with high school youth and to 27% with college students.

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Only 11% of those surveyed admit to studying their Bibles daily. For another 59% the youth this habit was only some?mes or o=en true. Almost 30% never or rarely conducted daily study of the Scriptures. Daily Bible study can be regarded as a benchmark of spiritual commitment. This finding indicates that it is impera?ve that church and youth leaders develop crea?ve and innova?ve ways to engage youth in the study and memoriza?on of Scripture.

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Bible study is considered boring for 11% of youth below 18 years old, for 8% of young adults (19-‐30), and for only 2% of youth above 30 years. The Bible is confusing for 22% of youth below 18 years old, for 19% of young adults (19-‐30), and for for 10% of youth above 30 years. The Bible gives direc?on to 39% of youth below 18 years old, for 48% of young adults (19-‐30), and for 52% of youth above 30 years. Bible reading is considered godly for 19% of Asians but only for 10% of Whites. Reading Bible is important to 59% of 18 years and younger, and for 50% of young adults and adults. Bible as key to rela?onship with God is to 61% of 18 years and younger, and to 73% of young adults and adults. The Bible is regarded as a leRer from God to 37% of Asian, but 50% for Whites youth. Reading the Bible is life changing to 46% of elementary school students, 36% of high school and college age students, 20% of young adults (23-‐30 years) and to 52% of 30+ years individuals. Reading Bible is like ea?ng bread to 6-‐7% of youth/young adults and to 15% of 30+ years of age people. Age groups that reading Bible makes them feel bad the most are those between 14-‐17 years (5%). Reading the Bible is the only way to know the truth for 46% of Hispanics, 38% of Blacks, 37% of Asians, and 30% of Whites.

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An overwhelming number of youth say that God’s truth is important in their lives. Only 1% strongly disagree, and 2% were unsure. Certainty, however, seems to decrease with age because, while 83% of youth 14 years and below strongly agree, only 69% of those between 14-‐17 years strongly agree.

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The majority of respondents reported that they look forward to mee?ng with Jesus at His second coming (96%). Only 3% were unsure, while 1% disagreed. Although 90% of those below 15 years strongly agree, only 68% of youth between 23-‐30 years of age feel the same.

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Two of every three respondents believes that God created the earth in 7 literal 24-‐hour days a few thousand years ago (68%). Those who say “no one knows exactly” comprised 16%. About 9% say that God’s crea?on of the earth and in 7 days is symbolic, not literal, while 4% accept the view that God created the earth in 7 literal, 24-‐hour days a few thousand years ago from preexis?ng rocks. In the minority are those who say God created the earth using natural mechanisms that some refer to as evolu?on (2%), and God created the earth in 7 literal 24 hour days a few thousand years ago, except the sun and the stars (1%). While 68% of the total agree with the literal crea?on in 7 days of 24 hours, there are only 59% of Asians, 65% of African American/Blacks, 68% of Hispanics and 77% of White youth who support this view. Although only 4% of youth above 30 say that no one knows exactly, there are 17% of 18 years and less who say the same.

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More than four in five youth affirmed their belief in the Adven?st doctrine of a great cosmic conflict between God and the devil (85%). Although 12% are not quite sure of this belief, 2% disagree altogether with this belief. Among the youth aRending Adven?st schools 60% strongly agree with this view whereas only 49% of those aRending high school strongly agree. For those above 30, 69% strongly agree, while 68% of young adults (19-‐30) concur, whereas only 53% of youth 18 years and below strongly agree.

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Respondents who can o=en, some?mes, or always explain Adven?st beliefs to anyone cons?tuted 87%. For 12% this was rarely or never true. Further analysis of this reveal that 22% of males are always able to explain and while it is 13% of females who report always able to do the same. Also, 48% of youth 18 years and less are always, or o=en able to explain their beliefs, whereas 52% of young adults (between 19-‐30) fall in this category, and 75% of youth above 30 are always or o=en able to explain Adven?st beliefs to anyone.

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A majority (87%) of the respondents report that they at least some?mes par?cipate in the witnessing ac?vi?es of the church. Barely 13% state that they have rarely or never been involved in such programs.

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More than four of every five persons surveyed prays for the salva?on of someone else. Only about 16% never or rarely do this. Almost a quarter of them always par?cipate in such an ac?vity. Although only 20% of youth and young adults always pray for the salva?on of others, 46% of those above 30 years always pray for others’ salva?on.

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More than four in five Pathfinders report that all their friends probably have at least one social media account. More than half say “absolutely.” Less than 3% report no, while a much lower number (1%) hoped not. Less than 14% were unsure. Gender seems to be a factor in the use of social media: 57% of females are sure about this, while only 45% of males claim the same. Although 49% of youth in Adven?st schools are certain about this statement, 59% of students aRending public schools make the same claims. Among African American/Black youth 62% are certain while only 35% of Whites make this claim.

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Almost three out of five respond that social media could be a means for sharing the gospel. Those who are unsure comprise 30%, while 10% disagree. Interes?ngly, 63% of Blacks/African-‐American strongly agree/agree with the idea that social media is a means for sharing the Gospel, while only 45% of Asians share the same belief.

Two out of every five respondents disagree that social media has helped their rela?onship with Christ. Those who are unsure comprise 36%. The minority (23%) are those who report that social media has helped their rela?onship with Christ. 38% of young adults above 30 years strongly agree/agree that the social media has helped in their rela?onship with Christ, while the percentage decreases with age: only 24% for young adults between 19-‐30, and 21% of youth below 18 years.

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Par?cipants in the survey were largely from North America; four out of five were from the US. Less than 10% originated from other countries outside North America. Three out of five were female, while the rest were male.

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Close to half of the sample was between ages 15 to 17, just over a quarter of them were 14 years old and less. Young adults between 18 to 22 were 12% of the popula?on.

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About a third were Black or African America, White not Hispanic comprised almost one-‐quarter of the respondents, and Hispanic or La?no were one-‐fi=h.

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Data from the ethnic background of the youth surveyed reveals that 50% of White youth aRend Adven?st schools, while 26% are found in public schools. For Asian youth respondents 44% aRend Adven?st schools, while 38% go to public schools. Among the Hispanics 31% of the youth aRend Adven?st schools, and 59% of Hispanics go to public schools. With the African American/Black youth 25% aRend Adven?st schools, while more than double this number (56%) can be found in public schools.

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camporee youth beliefs and values...

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