Where have all the young adults gone? Not as far from religion as one might think, according to a new study finding large numbers of twentysomethings are combining a spiritual life with religious practice.

Even as young adults increasingly put off marriage, the traditional assumption that saying “I do” at the altar can help pump new vibrancy into congregational life no longer appears valid, new research indicates. What does bring young adults back to religious congregations is having children. And it is not just married couples with children that are filling pews.