Recent research points to a spiritual hunger emerging among children and young people that we’ve not witnessed in decades. For every ‘turner upper’, there are likely to be many more who don’t get that far but are very open to hearing about faith, and we need to be Revealing Jesus to them.
See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. John 1:18 (NLT)
God is on the move!
For years, we know that SU supporters have been praying faithfully for the youngest generations to come to know the God that loves them. Yet, over decades, church attendance among the young has declined and the UK has become steadily more secular.
But God is faithful, and now our prayers are being answered! Encouraging recent research confirms a big surge of interest in spirituality and a new openness to faith among those aged 18–25. They have driven up sales of Bibles by 87% over the last five years* ; they are more spiritual than older people and becoming more so**; 35% believe in a God or higher power and 37% are open to learning more about the Bible.***
While no research has so far been done amongst under 18s, all the signs are that God is on the move in this younger age group too.
What about the others?
Richard Shaw, SU’s Director of Mission, says the recent trend of children and young people turning up unexpectedly at churches is just the tip of the iceberg.
‘It takes great initiative, courage and the right opportunity for a child or young person without church connections to seek out a church and find a way to get there. But for every one of those “turner uppers” there will be many, many others who are open to faith but have no idea where or how to find out more. Do they know that the church can help them find answers? Even if they do, would they feel comfortable just coming to a service? (One child actually asked a Faith Guide if they were allowed to come to church!)
‘For example, I heard of a lad in his mid-teens who was invited to church by his new girlfriend and told all his schoolfriends he’d been. That was surprising enough. More surprising still was that his friends then sought out his girlfriend to ask her about church! I wouldn’t have expected that a year ago, but it’s an indicator of how things are changing.
A new season. ‘It’s like the parable of the lost sheep, but in reverse. The “turner upper” is the one sheep that has found their way into the fold, but there are 99 sheep who are still lost, wandering on the hillside – and they are more open to hearing about faith than has been the case for generations.
‘We’re in a new season and God is stirring young hearts. We all have a part to play, even churches with few people and resources. Pray, ask for wisdom, and offer God your loaves and fishes!
‘And get in touch with SU. We can help your church find an effective and appropriate way to connect with those “lost sheep”, help them explore who Jesus is, respond and grow in faith.
Footnotes:
* spckpublishing.co.uk/blog (March 2025)
**‘Belief in Britain’ 2025 - thedevilsgospels.com/#report
***Bible Society ‘Quiet Revival’ – biblesociety.org.uk/research/quiet-revival
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