‘It seems that this influx of young people is reviving the dying Church’

A few years ago it seemed as if the Church was in a decline that it would never recover from. Secularisation was in full swing, and many congregations consisted mostly of the older generations. However it appears that this wasn’t the end of the story, but just the movement of the tide going out. As Justin Brierley so eloquently describes in his book The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God (Tyndale), there is now a new wave of believers. The Quiet Revival survey commissioned by the Bible Society and YouGov found that church attendance has risen by 50 per cent over the last six years. 

What’s exciting is that the age group that has seen the biggest increase is 18-24-year-olds. In 2018, just 4 per cent of 18-24-year-olds said that they attended church at least monthly. Now this has risen to 16 per cent. Where previously there were twice as many women as men, there is now a huge increase in young men attending, from 4 per cent to 21 per cent. Attendance in young women has also increased, though slightly less dramatically from 3 to 12 per cent. 

The research speculates at some of the reasons why Gen Z are flocking to the Church. They are the most likely to have mental health struggles, and dealt with the isolation of the COVID lockdowns at a vulnerable age. In a world where there is constant news about impending war and environmental catastrophe it appears that the younger generation is hungry for meaning, and a place where peace can be found amid the chaos.  

But it’s not just about filling the pews on a Sunday morning. The 18-24-year-old age group are more likely to pray, with 51 per cent having prayed in the last month – compared with 42 per cent in the older age categories. They are also the group that is most curious to learn about the Bible. And Gen Z is the age group most likely to boldly share its faith. 

Proceeding with caution

Something is happening with young people, but is this the key to church growth? 

Yes absolutely, it seems that this influx of young people is reviving the dying Church, breathing new life into it. However, I think we need to be careful what we do with this information. We could dive into outreach with the young, create more ‘youth friendly’ services to attract them, and put all our focus on this area of growth. But, a revival is only measurable in retrospect. Who knows what God will do next? 

I think we must also be cautious not to focus too much on generational labels. They can be helpful, but also divisive and limiting. Young people need Jesus, but so does the 90-year-old woman who is on her deathbed. Other age groups have seen rises in church attendance too. While they are not quite as staggering as the Gen Z group, they are happening. In fact I’m one of them! I came to faith from the New Age four years ago at the age of 41, and found many online friends and acquaintances were also making a similar journey to faith in Jesus. The wave is still coming in – just a few months ago I noticed a woman in her 50s, who I know online through a parenting course, started posting daily about finding Jesus. And my husband became a believer last year at the age of 58! I’m praying for my family members and friends (none of whom are in the age 18-24 category) and seeing some get more curious about God and the Bible. These are anecdotes of course, but just a reminder that God is calling people of all ages. 

I think it’s important, too, not to get too hung up on the word ‘revival’ – a word that doesn’t actually appear in the Bible. Big flashy ‘revival’ events are popping up around the globe, with famous speakers who sometimes have dubious doctrines. 

In Acts 2:47 it says that “the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved”. This was business as usual for the early Church, but it was the Lord doing it – not people in their own strength. 

God knows how to grow his Church, so perhaps our role as followers of Jesus is not to focus too much on generational labels, but instead listen to the quiet nudging of the Holy Spirit, about the seeds we should plant and the prayers we should pray. If we can do that with the energy and boldness of the new generation coming through, then perhaps we’ll see the Church coming back to life again.