A leap of faith: Young adults in Columbia drive surge in interest about Christianity

After decades of decline, church involvement in the United States may be on the rise again — driven in part by renewed interest in spiritual exploration and community by young adults.

In Columbia, local churches and campus-based Christian ministries are reporting notable growth, especially among college students.

Leaders from groups like Student Mobilization, Veritas and the St. Thomas More Newman Center say that while not all students are searching for a particular religion, many are finding purpose, peace and belonging in faith.

At the Newman Center, student participation in Bible study grew from 375 last year to more than 600 this year. Its weekly Power Hour — an evening of Eucharistic adoration and reconciliation — averages around 170 students, up from 100 the previous year.

Veritas, a college ministry at The Crossing, has also seen dramatic growth. In fall 2021, the group drew about 300 students to its weekly gatherings. Now, more than 900 attend.

“On the other side of COVID, we’ve had an explosion of growth,” said Kyle Richter, the co-director of Veritas. “In four years, we’ve tripled in size.”

Leaders point to a few key factors behind this increased engagement, including post-pandemic reflection and digital fatigue.

“People are looking for peace amid anxiety, sincerity and authenticity amid hypocrisy and failed leadership,” Richter said. “They’re tired of fake — they want something real.”

Jordan Ayers, founder and director of Student Mobilization at the University of Missouri, believes initial interest is based on spiritual questions that remain unanswered.

“A lot of people assume that young adults aren’t interested in God, but we’ve seen the opposite,” he said. “I think a lot of people just haven’t been exposed as much as in the past.”

College is a particularly pivotal moment for faith development, said the Rev. Andrew Auer, associate pastor at the Newman Center.

“When I considered how and when people are leaving the faith and when times of pivotal formation are, it was clear that college is the locus of both,” he said.

National context and data

Nationally, the Pew Research Center’s Religious Landscape Study conducted over seven months in 2023 and 2024 reported 62% of U.S. adults identify as Christian — a decline from 78% in 2007.

Between 2019 and 2024, the Christian share of the adult population remained relatively stable, ranging between 60% and 64%.

Meanwhile, the percentage of adults not affiliated with a religion plateaued at 29% after years of sustained growth.

Younger adults still identify as Christian at lower rates than older generations, but new patterns suggest a re-engagement.

A separate Pew survey from October 2024 found 38% of U.S. adults ages 18 to 29 attended a religious service in the past month virtually or in person — a 10-point increase from 2022.

While national data suggests that religious commitment often declines in early adulthood, local leaders say Columbia may be seeing a shift.

According to the Barna Group’s 2022 study The Open Generation: United States, 52% of U.S. teens said they felt motivated to learn more about Jesus.

Of those ages 13 to 17, 39% said they are committed to following Jesus. That number dropped to 17% among young adults ages 18 to 22.

Local growth

Ayers was introduced to Christianity by a college friend — a moment he said transformed his life and inspired him to serve other students.

When he moved to Columbia in 2011, about 1,500 students were involved in campus-based Christian groups. He saw an opportunity there.

“If there’s around 30,000 students, we thought we could come alongside and try and help out in the cause,” he said.

Today, several hundred students gather weekly in Student Mobilization’s small discussion sessions to explore faith and build community. The group mission is directed to one-on-one mentoring, leadership development and relationship-based outreach.

“Becoming a leader for Jesus and being strong in him is central to what he talks about in the Bible,” Ayers said.

Depth over data

Leaders consistently say the goal isn’t numbers — it’s connection to Jesus.

“Our primary metric is not how many show up, but how deeply they’re engaging with Jesus,” Ayers said. “If you deeply know God or follow him, then you’re only scratching the surface of what it could be.”

Evangelism happens one person at a time, Auer said.

“It’s one person who becomes convinced, who becomes a person of prayer, who wants to be able to share that with their friends,” he said. “Students are able to go out and be with their peers and share the good news of the Gospel.”

Building personal relationships is also central to many of these ministries. Leaders say trust opens the door to deeper conversations about faith, doubt and life direction.

“When you build a relationship with someone, it allows you to have trust,” said Luke Mach, a FOCUS missionary at the Newman Center. “In that trust you’re able to challenge each other in authentic friendships.”

Auer said the church must be present in all areas of modern life — including online spaces — to meet young adults where they are.

“The church always wants to be where people are, so if they are online, the church should have a presence there,” Auer said. “It’s not that we’re keeping up with the times, we’re just letting people know we’re still here.”

Belonging and friendship

Beyond faith, many students turn to ministries for community. A study published in Journal of Religion and Health by Springer Nature found that social support and a sense of belonging are strongly associated with higher spiritual well-being.

Veritas prioritizes this.

“Many students who attend Veritas aren’t initially seeking Jesus,” Richter said. “They come looking for friendship. And in that friendship with other college students, they end up finding Jesus, too.”

Student Mobilization, often shortened to StuMo, also emphasizes authentic, personal friendships over programming.

“A lot of our outreach is more through friendships and relationships than it is programs,” Ayers said. “We try to come alongside people and process life.”

At Mizzou, more than 7,500 students — 27% of the campus population — are involved in Greek life. Ministries like the Newman Center see these close-knit communities as ripe for spiritual growth.

“Fraternities and sororities form good men and women who are social, successful, hardworking and in need of something important in their lives,” Mach said.

OpenDoor Mizzou, a ministry specifically for Greek students, is affiliated with the Newman Center. Brock Hulshof, director of outreach, said that while fraternities and sororities provide a sense of community, many seek something deeper.

“There’s a beautiful community within a chapter house, but the community we’re ultimately called to is one of discipleship with Jesus,” he said.

One of OpenDoor’s signature events is hosting Catholic Mass inside fraternity houses.

The first Mass, held at Phi Delta Theta in March 2024, drew about 50 attendees. A more recent service on March 11 at Alpha Tau Omega brought in 112 people, the largest turnout yet.

Hulshof said the event resonates with students because it transforms familiar spaces into sacred ones, deepening both faith and community.

“The community we’re building is in a unique place that’s able to do something truly beautiful — turning bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus,” he said.