Headline findings from teen research

The Barna Research Group, World Vision and Alpha have collaborated on international research based on in-depth interviews with 25,000 teens. This was to find out about their attitude toward Jesus, the Bible and Making an Impact.

Gen Z (11 - 26 years old) are open to the Christian message in a way that would surprise many of us. There is reason for hope and encouragement however we may need to adjust our ministry practices, so they're in tune with the needs of this new generation.

One of the key findings was that we need to create spaces for curiosity and encounter with Jesus. There's a temptation to try for big scale events but young people are seeking authentic relationships and are open to mentoring and one on one relationships with an understanding adult.

Because they are so relational, teens also want to learn about Jesus from the Bible in the context of being connected to others within a supportive community.

"Though personal commitment to follow Jesus may not be the norm among today’s teens, general curiosity about Jesus is high. Among Christian teens, the desire to learn about Jesus is widespread and only deepens as they grow in their relationship with him. Nearly all Christian teens with a personal commitment to follow Jesus want to grow in their knowledge of him throughout their lives."

Sammy Mould, Paul Hegglun and I have a hard copy of this research so please ask for a copy if you're interested. The Open Generation website gives lots more information.