Survey uncovers teenagers’ thoughts about Christianity

Did you know that 21 per cent of teens believe Jesus is active in the world today or that 78 per cent are motivated to act for justice? In a recent Limitless leaders’ podcast Tim Alford and World Vision’s Simon Gibbes explored the findings of a huge global study that gives a fascinating insight into the beliefs held by teens

How do young people relate to Jesus? How do they view Scripture? How do they seek to make an impact in the world?

These were the questions World Vision, Alpha, Biblica and several other organisations sought to answer when they teamed up with researchers Barna for a global survey last year.

As one of the largest ever studies of its kind, the Barna research team interviewed 25,000 teenagers across 26 nations to get a better understanding of Generation Z.

“This emerging generation is coming of age and it’s apt that we seek to understand what makes them tick because they’ll be the ones shaping culture and society in the years to come,” Simon Gibbes from World Vision told Tim Alford in a recent Limitless leaders podcast.

“For us as the church it’s important to understand this emerging generation and be able to connect more meaningfully with them.”

So what did the study find and how can youth leaders in the UK respond?

How do young people relate to Jesus?

What the survey found
Most teens around the world have a positive perception of Jesus and admire him for his compassion, forgiveness and care of others, the survey found. But while they recognise the historical Jesus they don’t acknowledge his present reality so much, with only 21 per cent believing he is active in the world today.

Is that simply part of the process of coming to terms with your beliefs as a teenager, or is it unique to this generation? Is it a result of Generation Z being the first post-Christian generation, mostly raised by non-Christians and lacking a foundational understanding of the gospels, Tim and Simon asked.

Key stats
• 24 per cent of teens believe Jesus can be communicated with today
• 21 per cent believe Jesus is active in the world
• 33 per cent of non-Christian teens and 50 per cent of churched teens believe Jesus rose from the dead

How youth leaders can respond
Simon: There needs to be more emphasis on preaching the gospel in terms of Jesus’ death and resurrection, with this included in the programme every time, even if it’s subtly. Everything hangs on the resurrection. If Jesus did rise from the dead then he is alive, which means he’s also active in the world today.

Tim: It would be interesting for leaders to ask their teens if they believe Jesus is active in the world today, because this would give a real indicator of whether they have a living relationship with him. We need to go back to basics and talk about Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, ascension and coming again – the basic gospel truths that are why we follow Jesus in the first place.

How do young people engage with Scripture?

What the survey found
The survey revealed several interesting stats on Scripture engagement among teens, although it’s worth remembering these are global figures. Nearly two-thirds own a Bible, with 44 per cent recognising the Bible is holy, 41 per cent believing it is inspired by God and 39 per cent believing it is meaningful.

While just eight per cent are “Bible- engaged” – reading it several times a week – 62 per cent are “Bible-open”, reading it more than three or four times a year.

Key stats
• 59 per cent of teens around the world own a Bible
• 39 per cent see the Bible as meaningful
• 8 per cent read the Bible several times a week

How youth leaders can respond
Tim: 94 per cent of young people go on social media every day, compared to 8 per cent who are Bible-engaged, so we know what’s shaping their worldview. The question, then, isn’t how their views are being formed – it’s whether what their views are being formed by is right. A major priority for youth workers should therefore be shepherding young people towards greater engagement with Scripture and to filter their consumption.

Simon: Given that teens are going to engage with all sorts of things, what should we be pointing them towards? Which re- sources, apps and Instagram feeds? Which things will help promote engagement with the Bible and the Christian faith? As an adult I can filter the things I listen to, read and watch, but young people are still at the stage where they’re not quite mature enough to make those kinds of decisions.

How do young people seek to make an impact in the world?

What the survey found
Social activism and justice issues are top priorities for this generation. The survey found teens believe they can make a difference to the world around them – 59 per cent believe they can do this personally, while 87 per cent believe their generation can. What’s more, 78 per cent say they are motivated to act.

In the UK, climate change and extreme poverty rank highest in terms of concerns. Globally, sexual abuse, political corruption and pollution also top the list.

But there is a huge disconnect between this and the gospel, with just 23 per cent saying the church is making a difference on issues such as poverty and injustice, and one in five actually saying Christian leaders have no role in these matters. While Jesus preached that “the Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor” and spent time with people on the margins of society, just 35 per cent of those surveyed believe Jesus was an advocate for justice.

Key stats
• 59 per cent of teens believe they can make a positive impact on the world
• 78 per cent are motivated to act concerning unfair or undeserved treatment in society
• 23 per cent say the church is making a difference on issues such as poverty and injustice

How youth leaders can respond
Tim: It’s about connecting the dots between the issues of activism and justice that young people are engaged with and the God of justice who we serve. They are passionate about climate justice, fast fashion, Black Lives Matter, homelessness or extreme poverty and we can connect that to Luke 4. These are gospel matters and as we participate in them we participate in the mission of God.

Simon: The ancient church was very good at reaching people on the margins of society but that’s something we’ve probably missed in the church today. It’s important to be grounded in local issues and engaging in our communities but it’s also more important than ever to be engaging in the global community – figuring out how we can do that and what we can contribute.

• The full global survey report and a UK version are available via Barna’s website: barna.com/the-open-generation

This article first appeared in Direction Magazine. For further details please click here.

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