If church leaders are disturbed to discover that this decidedly non-Christian faith is inhabiting the hearts of their youth, Smith and Denton suggested they take a long, hard look at the way they approach the education of teenagers.

The researchers stated: "Our distinct impression is that very many congregations and communities of faith in the United States are failing rather badly in religiously engaging and educating their youth."

How Can Churches Improve?

So what do Smith and Denton suggest churches do in order to bring their teens into a more genuine and vibrant experience of the Christian faith? Based on their research, the authors of Soul Searching propose the following (among other recommendations):

Make Teens a Priority. While it might seem to make sense for churches to focus ministry on the people who pay the bills -- that is, adults -- ignoring teenagers or putting little priority on them can spell spiritual disaster for those youth.

"Religious congregations that prioritize ministry to youth and support for their parents, invest in trained and skilled youth group leaders, and make serious efforts to engage and teach adolescents seem much more likely to draw youth into their religious lives and to foster religious and spiritual maturity in their young members," Soul Searching said.

The authors added: "Stated negatively, when religious communities do not invest in their youth, unsurprisingly, their youth are less likely to invest in their religious faith."

Don't Apologize for Religious Instruction. Smith and Denton surmised that there is a hesitancy among many Christian adults to speak about their faith in a confident manner. But they insisted, "Faith communities have no reason to apologize for or be insecure about teaching their youth."