Hemorrhaging Faith

In 2012, James Penner and Associates (that’s us) partnered in a groundbreaking collaborative study called Hemorrhaging Faith.

The research involved 72 in-depth interviews and a national survey of over2,000 young adults who were raised in Canadian churches—both Protestant andCatholic. One of the most compelling findings was this: young adults who had received emotional support from their church were significantly more likely to remain engaged in their faith communities.

As we dug deeper, one insight became crystal clear—the younger generation has highly attuned “BS detectors.” On a gut level, they tend to withdraw from adults—including their parents and church leaders—if they don’t perceive themas emotionally safe. When asked to define “safe,” these young adults consistently pointed to people who are comfortable in their own skin, emotionally present, and actively working through their own inner wounds. These are individuals whose outer lives reflect the integrity they’re cultivating internally.

In many ways, the young adults in our study are like canaries in the coal mine. Their disconnection from the church serves as an early warning sign—a call to the broader community to address the emotional and spiritual toxins inour midst. At James Penner and Associates, we’re passionate about helping people pursue emotional wellness, let go of what’s toxic, and become the kind of grounded, authentic adults young people want to be around.

What’s true of the church as a social institution is just as true in other areas of society. We believe children and young adults instinctively distance themselves from any environment led by emotionally immature adults.