In April this year I donned my favourite sparkly jumper and went to the local carvery for a very delayed Christmas dinner. At the end of the evening two friends were debating the complex theology of the Trinity using 2 pint glasses and a mobile phone as props. I noticed the man clearing the tables leaning in, eyeing them with interest. It turned out he had a powerful encounter with Jesus in his bedroom 2 years ago, in the midst of a personal crisis; since then, despite not finding a church to call home, he has been devouring as much Christian content as he can find on Instagram.
A new report from the Evangelical Alliance describes this young man as one of many “bucking the cultural trend” to seek out Jesus, explore Christianity, and make a decision to follow Christ. The survey (by experienced researchers Dr Ruth Perrin and Joe Warton) found 280 people who had made this decision and the findings are both fascinating and encouraging.
Perhaps it’s not news to you that, among those from lower-income backgrounds, not a single participant expressed doubt about the existence of God. And only one said they hadn’t had support from Christians around them. This confirms my experience that God is tangibly at work in our communities; and the Church is already playing an active role in people’s faith journeys.
The survey also considered the more difficult parts of those journeys. For those with lower incomes those specific challenges were:
- Understanding the concept of forgiveness
- Wrestling with personal struggles and lifestyle changes
- Fear of what others would think
It was also interesting to learn from this research how much people value clear explanations. For those of us who have been going to church for a long time, we are reminded to avoid assumptions about what people understand.
The most common word people used to describe their faith journey was “challenging” (41%). But the second most common? “Hopeful.” There’s something deeply resonant in that for urban missionaries: the gospel is not easy—but it is very good news.
So what were the things that brought people to a place where they committed to following Jesus? The survey showed:
- An experience of God – 39%
- Reading the Bible – 27%
- Taking part in a course (like Alpha or Christianity Explored) – 27%
Church community also mattered deeply. People valued sung worship and preaching, but what stood out in the interview section of the research was church community; being welcomed, listened to and included. Those from a lower income background particularly highlighted the significance of hearing a testimony, sermon or having a conversation with a church leader. Spoken word seemed to matter more than written word.
A big question for many of us is this: how do we help people keep going in their faith, especially when life remains hard?
For those surveyed, the top answers were simple but powerful:
- Reading the Bible
- Personal prayer
- Worship
Interestingly, these spiritual disciplines ranked higher than emotional support or even dramatic encounters with God, although these were still important.
Social media played a notable role too. YouTube was most commonly mentioned in people’s responses, especially among those with no Christian friends or family. But rather than being the main driver, it served to support and supplement people’s search for faith and meaning.
I often wonder how I can better support our new friend at the carvery, the results of this survey have certainly helped! I’ll be taking him copy of the new Mark’s Gospel devotional from Proximity, which has videos of the Bible readings with material to kick start a devotional life, answer questions and apply the Bible to daily life. Listening to the first section from the devotional this morning I was challenged by those words from Isaiah, “prepare the way of the Lord, make straight paths for him.” It’s beautiful that we can all play a part in people’s journeys of faith. I want to be someone who smooths those paths, and helps to remove obstacles on the way.
Here are the top 10 takeaways from this research, as we seek to live out that call:
- God is at work.
- The gospel is relevant and powerful for people from all walks of life.
- We should avoid assumptions – People appreciate clear explanations.
- Let’s create space for questions – YouTube helps, but face-to-face conversations matter more.
- We can emphasise that the gospel is both true and good.
- Every believer can make a difference.
- Be patient – People need time.
- Teach people to read the Bible – It’s powerful but not always easy to understand.
- Equip new believers to share their faith – Their testimony is valuable to others.
- Supporting people in the mess is key – New Christians need community, hospitality, and grace.