The no-longer-young-adult next step

I’ve previously written that 25 year olds are not young adults. 
I haven’t been a young adult for over a decade.

Whilst I may still be studying, I also work full time, am married and have kids.

Yet, far too many late-twenty-something’s are treated and ministered to like young adults by the church because they don’t know what else to do.

This is how you have youth group leaders who won’t, or can’t, retire.

Many churches don’t know the next step for those who have aged out of young adult ministry.

In my mind the next step, especially in light of the energy and time restraints of a no-longer-young-adult is intentional mentorship.

The next step for someone the step beyond young adult ministry is to choose a few people or the same gender and intentionally invest in them.

Those who have popped out of the youth and young adult ministry programs should help those who are a step behind them chronologically and spiritually.

This is the ministry many churches lack.
This is the ministry many young Christian’s lack.

But, it is the precise ministry which no-longer-young-adults can handle and, often, crave.

In the middle of burgeoning families and careers they can still be deeply impactful and productive.

Often, all that is needed is the adult to be empowered into this role and paired off with a few suitable young people.