The Christian Century

Youth pastors hear an inordinate number of generalized and unsubstantiated statistics: X percent of adult Christians chose to follow Christ before the age of 18; X percent of youth workers leave the church after X months; X percent of students choose to follow Christ at a summer camp; X percent of youth leave the church after confirmation/graduation, never to return. Attend a youth ministers’ conference, and you’re likely to hear such statistics reiterated with authority.