The Slow Fade: Why You Matter in the Story of Twentysomethings
Reggie Joiner, Chuck Bomar and Abbie Smith
David C. Cook, 2010, 176 pp., $14.99, DavidCCook.com

We know the problem all too well, don’t we? We feel it in that shaky moment when we take our mentoring hands off of a high school graduate so he or she can face the world independently. We say a prayer and hope for the best, yet secretly fear the potential stories we’ll hear about how the student’s faith faded while walking into adulthood.

The three authors of this book—a senior pastor, a college pastor and a 20-something—offer a powerful challenge to move the “finish line” of when we consider we’re done investing into an emerging adult. The answer is not to throw a college ministry at them, but to recruit a new type of relational mentor who will invest in them and unveil a greater sense of wonder, discovery and passion along their spiritual journey.

I’ve never been more refreshed by a book on this topic: Not only does it address the growing challenge facing this generation, but also offers a down-to-earth process for the rest of us to pursue. Namely, by first letting our hearts break for the people and their journey, we’ll be more easily inclined to create a community in which college-aged people can feel like they belong and matter to God.

There’s some great sideline discussion about how we often define spiritual maturity incorrectly. When we treat someone as a table to be assembled, we end up doing more harm than good. Rather, our aim should be to define success relationally, release older generations into this process, invest in families, value differences and empower young adults to have voices within the church.

If you value the investment you’re making in students and want to see it continue for a lifetime, get everyone you serve with to read this book together and brainstorm the church-wide applications.