Read Part 1 and Part 2.

This past semester my students and I have been educating each other. I've been introducing them—at warp speed—to the major world religions. They've been candidly expressing their perspectives on faith, religious practice, and what any of that might have to do with their daily lives. In two previous posts, I summarized a few common themes—some surprising, some not—that emerged from their written reflections. Below I comment on the implications of their responses for those ministering to the enigmatic twenty-something.

Know why they're coming.

Even though we know we shouldn't, many of us still consider attendance a victory. If they show up at church, we think, it's because they're looking for something only the church can offer. Maybe. My students' responses make me think we need to find out why people come to church. The reasons might surprise us.

For example, many of my students expressed an interest in having their children in church (or temple or synagogue), even ...