The Christian faith is perceived as “significantly more relevant to children” and young people than the church itself, according to new research which calls on churches to rethink how they engage the next generation.
The findings come from Scripture Union’s ‘Taking the Pulse of Ministry Among Children & Young People,’ written by Dr Sarah Holmes and drawing on responses from 697 adults surveyed by the Institute for Children, Youth and Mission (CYM) from May to July 2026.
Respondents included church leaders, children’s and youth workers, parents, grandparents, congregation members and chaplains from various denominations across the UK and the Republic of Ireland.
One of the clearest findings was a gap between perceptions of Christianity and the institutional church.
On a scale from 0 to 2, respondents gave the Christian faith an average relevance score of 1.28, compared with 1.13 for the Bible and just 0.84 for the church.
The report said the Christian faith was perceived as 54% more relevant than the church.
“This is significant because respondents did not reject faith as irrelevant; rather, they distinguished between the continuing relevance of the Christian faith and the perceived relevance of the church as an institution or community,” it stated.
It said the findings should prompt churches to consider “whether the church culture, language, structures and patterns of belonging make church feel accessible, meaningful and trustworthy to children and young people.”
Relationships and belonging also emerged as major themes.
Respondents identified “a relationship with Jesus or a Christian faith foundation” as young people’s greatest need, followed by belonging, love and community, trusted adults, and mental health and hope.
“Churches tend to instinctively default to programmes, but these findings reveal that relationships and belonging are much greater needs,” the report said.
It added that sharing the gospel in ways that connect with young people’s emotional needs and search for truth was crucial, instead of framing Christianity “as an abstract belief disconnected from their lived experiences.”
The research also highlights the considerable influence of peers and the digital world.
Friends and peers were regarded as the greatest influence on children’s and young people’s faith and spirituality, cited by 31.57% of respondents, followed by parents and carers at 28.01% and social media at 23.3%. The church and Bible were cited by only 5.57% and 1.94%, respectively.
Despite social media’s perceived influence, only 1% of respondents identified digital connection as an effective missional approach.
By comparison, 56% pointed to accessible and regular activities such as clubs and groups, while 38% highlighted meeting young people where they already are, including schools and community settings.
Questions about truth and discernment have also become more prominent since the previous survey in 2024.
Church leaders and children’s and youth workers expressed particular concern about subjective understandings of truth, artificial intelligence, social media and fake news.
The report nevertheless found strong support for sharing Christianity with younger generations, with some 87% agreeing that seeking to evangelise children was appropriate.
Respondents stressed that faith-sharing “should be age-appropriate, clear, sensitive, safeguarded and transparent,” with the report suggesting that some Christians may lack confidence because they are unsure how to share their faith appropriately rather than because they lack conviction.
In explaining their views, 23% said careful consideration should be given to how the gospel is shared with children and young people, while 15% highlighted barriers such as “fear, lack of knowledge or feeling unqualified.”
When respondents were asked about church priorities for both under-11s and 11 to 18 year olds, top of the list was “leading them to a personal relationship with Jesus.”
Helping young people find a place where they belong and providing role models of faith were also ranked highly.
The report said effective ministry was strongest when children and teenagers were “not treated as a separate audience to entertain, but as relationally known, spiritually engaged, and visibly included participants in the wider church and community.” However, it found that this inclusion does not often extend to decision-making.
Most respondents said children and young people had either minimal involvement or no involvement at all in church decisions.
Their views were generally gathered through informal conversations, feedback and direct questions rather than established structures that allowed them to influence decisions.
“Whilst informal listening is valuable, it is not the same as shared decision-making,” the report warned. “This raises a deeper question about agency: are children and young people being listened to as participants in church life, or mainly consulted about provision designed for them?”
Resources remain another challenge, with limited volunteers and time identified as the biggest barriers to general outreach. A shortage of trained workers and time were among the main obstacles to effective schools ministry.
The report suggests churches may need to rethink outreach so that it can take place within “existing activities and spaces.”
Family relationships were identified as an important part of faith formation. Among parents and carers surveyed, 83% said they sought to make conversations about Jesus and faith a regular part of everyday family life, with 57% reporting daily faith conversations and 29% having them weekly.
Yet 49% of grandparents surveyed said they did not receive any support from their church in this area.
Summarising the findings, Scripture Union said: “Children and young people need to feel that church is a place they belong, have trusted relationships and meaningful participation, not only programmes.
“Trusted adults, including parents, carers and grandparents are key in the formation of faith. We need to all work together as a team.
“Digital culture matters, but online mission is marginal. Continued exploration would be valuable regarding how the online context can facilitate vibrant faith in younger generations.
“Children’s voices are valued but rarely shape decisions in church contexts.”
The report cautions that the survey does not directly show what children and young people themselves think, with Scripture Union planning further research into their perspectives.
It concluded: “Churches have opportunities to share faith, but it seems that confidence varies across roles and is shaped by safeguarding, culture and relational trust.
“Effective outreach depends on moving beyond separate provision towards sustained, everyday connection with families, schools, communities and the wider church.”
