About the Fuller Youth Institute
We equip diverse leaders and parents so faithful young people can change our world.
The Fuller Youth Institute turns research into practical resources to help make the church the best place for young people to grow. An innovative branch of Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA, FYI research has pioneered a new era of youth ministry practice and intergenerational discipleship, partnering with faculty from both of Fuller's graduate schools to create tools which will change the way the world sees young people.
Our early work explored urban youth worker support and resilience as well as short-term missions and service effectiveness. We then spent a decade researching why some young people walk away from God and church after high school while others stay connected, leading to the landmark Sticky Faith, a national movement of leaders and families coming together to equip young people for lifelong faith.
With the later support of $800,000 in grant funding and national collaboration with denominations and church experts, FYI launched the Churches Engaging Young People Project in 2013. Working to understand what helps churches reach and retain young people ages 15-29, FYI published its findings in Growing Young, a game-changing book for church leadership. This year, 130 churches across the US and internationally will commit to joining our Growing Young Cohorts—resulting in over 200,000 church members empowered and equipped to engage teenagers and young adults like never before.