Young adults are in a unique life stage.  Just a short time ago, they were a teenager.  Now, they are facing a college decision, entering the job market, and possibly marriage.  Basically, it is time for them to start “adulting”.  It truly is a turning point in their lives, and it is vital to their life direction you provide them with Biblical wisdom and guidance.  While there may be an abundance of youth and adult material out there, the young adult market is not as prevalent.  But don’t be discouraged, here are a few resources to get you started:

Sticky Faith Curriculum:  Kara Powell and Brad Griffin have put together a plethora of resources to help teenagers transition to young adulthood.  Starting with the teen curriculum that targets upper classmen, the Sticky Faith people are on target.  To follow up into young adult years, they provide books like “Growing With” to help young adults navigate into adulthood.

Meaning of Marriage by Tim Keller:  You may be asking yourself, “How did this get in here?”  Well, bear with me a second, because this book has some of the very best words of wisdom for singles.  Sure, it is just one chapter, but it is worth the price of admission.  Keller takes a Biblical approach to singleness that any Christian young adult should take to heart.  And, as they grow older and possibly face marriage, it’s not a bad idea to have this book on their shelf to prepare them for marriage.

Just Do Something by Kevin DeYoung:  This happens to be my favorite young adult resource.  Every young adult should read this book.  All too often we see young adults struggling to…well…just do something.  Rather than waste away in adolescence for far too long, refusing to grow up socially, the young adult is encourage to do something with their lives in pursuit of God’s Will.  It’s the kick in the pants that we all needed or need at that age.

Daily Disciplines of a Godly Young Man by Kent & Carey Hughes:  This is a great book that brings a young adult through the various disciplines of a godly Christian life.  I have found this book to be invaluable in discipleship of young men needing to take the next step in becoming a godly adult.  There are also versions of the book for the godly man and godly woman as well.  

Mentors:  No, this is not a tangible resource you can find on Amazon.  And no, I am not trying to be trite here.  Mentors are what this age demographic needs.  Start with providing intergenerational relationship opportunities in high school.  Encourage students to find a mentor and meet with them on a regular basis.  Do the same for young adults.  Pastors, deacons, grandmas, elders, small group leaders…the list goes on of people in the church that would love to spend an afternoon over coffee or a milkshake and talking life with a young adult.  They need this!  The books and curriculum above are tremendous helps, but a life-on-life, regular discipleship will have an even greater impact on the young adult’s life.  

The Way – New Living Translation Bible. Yes, I realize the Bible is probably understood as a necessary resource for a young adult.  But, if you are searching for a specific Bible geared towards the college and career individual, this may need to be in your shopping cart.  This is a Bible translation with content mixed in that is geared toward young adults.  It is a remake of the “groovy” Bibles that were made in the 70’s.  It is full of testimonies and interactive experiences for the reader.  It might be a profitable gift idea for graduating college students.

There you have it.  Six, count them, six valuable resources for the young adult.  But don’t just leave them with a stack of books!  Encourage others in the church to mentor, call, text, and social media (isn’t that a very now thing?) them often to keep them connected to life in the church.  As you may have noticed, this is a common time for someone to leave the church.  Don’t make their exit easy.  Stay connected, pray for them, pray with them, help connect them to adult ministries, serve alongside them inside and outside the church walls, and keep loving them in this life stage where they might need it the most.  Let’s stop the trend of graduating from church, and start a new trend of young adults serving and building up the church.