The Barna Group has released a new survey of “faith practices” among American Christian teenagers, which is to say it covers the things that many people think are important for young Christians to do. It’s comforting to find prayer on the list, though disquieting to learn it’s in a 15-year slump, according to Barna. Twenty-nine percent of self-identified Christian teenagers are under the impression, it seems, that one can have a relationship with Christ that does not include praying to Him. Other practices are down as well: Sunday school attendance, tithing, evangelizing, even the all-important small-group membership. At least church attendance is holding steady, though Barna’s president David Kinnaman suggests that one impetus for many teens to attend church is their desire to maintain friendships....
