Social media may be opening the door to Christianity for a growing number of young adults, but personal relationships are the "decisive factor" in leading many to church and to faith in Christ, according to a report commissioned by the Church of England.
"Understanding Young Adult Journeys to Faith in the Church of England" examines the stories of 30 young adults aged 18 to 30 who began attending Anglican churches for the first time during the five years following the Covid-19 pandemic.
The research, carried out on behalf of the Church by Theos think tank, paints a picture of a generation that is spiritually open and searching for answers.
While their journeys varied widely, the report identified a consistent pattern among the young Christians it spoke to - initial interest in Christianity was often piqued by online content, but it was almost always a real-life encounter or relationship with a Christian that turned that curiosity into genuine faith and church attendance.
Many participants in the study first encountered Christianity through TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, podcasts and online testimonies. Others came across Christian apologetics and discussions, or even passing references to the Bible while scrolling social media.
Yet almost none entered the Church of England directly through that digital content and it was often encounters with ordinary Christians that made them want to take things further, whether that was friends, teachers, or simply an acquaintance in their orbit.
"Teachers, university chaplains, partners, housemates, and others often provide the encouragement or invitation that leads individuals into church for the first time," the report says, observing that it was "not so much individuals' attempts to persuade people of the truth of Christianity that moved people, but rather the qualities of love, joy, generosity, and kindness that they embodied".
This was the case for Becky, 25, who was drawn to church through her son’s childminder, who happened to be the local vicar’s wife.
She shared, “My son started going to a childminder with the vicar’s wife. I got a bit curious, because I saw the love and peace that she projected and I thought, what’s wrong with you? What? What? What are you doing? Like, do you know what I mean?
"So that kind of gave me the first little bit of exposure … even though she was child minding my son, I felt like she was there for me, too. I feel like she really bridged that gap and brought me to Jesus.”
Millie, 20, said, “One of the things that really did stand out to me was that people that I’d met at uni that were Christians that always seemed to be very kind people. That’s something that I distinctively noticed.
"I was like, every time, I speak to this girl or we have conversations and we bump into each other, they’re kind, they’re being kind to me, they’re being kind to other people, and always have a smile on their face and always, and obviously that’s a big generalisation, but for me that is just something that did stand out.
"And I was like, one, I guess these are nice people and it’s nice to spend time with them. And also just like, it feels like there’s something going on here, there’s some kind of pattern.”
The research found that rather than rejecting religion outright, many of the interviewees described spending a lot of time searching for meaning and trying out a number of different beliefs before eventually settling on Christianity.
Around a third described going through a teenage atheist phase, influenced by New Atheists like Richard Dawkins. Others, particularly women, explored astrology, manifestation, tarot cards, crystals and other New Age spiritual practices before turning to Christianity.
Many participants described doing their own research after initial encounters with Christian content online, engaging not only with Scripture but writers like CS Lewis and GK Chesterton.
Several said they were looking for objective truth and moral certainty in a culture that, in their view, was increasingly relativistic.
For many, however, the decisive turning point came not through persuasive arguments but through reading the Bible itself.
Some, like Jake, had bought a Bible after seeing it mentioned on social media.
"Immediately, he felt that scripture spoke to him and the struggles he had been going through," the report said.
Others borrowed one out of curiosity and several described being unexpectedly moved by reading the Psalms or Gospels before they ever attended a church service.
The report records stories of people turning to God after experiencing anxiety, loneliness, illness, bereavement and some kind of personal crisis. In going to church, they reported finding relief from mental health problems, anxiety and loneliness.
Some participants described having dreams, answered prayers or other experiences they interpreted as being from God.
Participants consistently described finding something they felt had been missing in their life, and were attracted not only to community but to the worship and a renewed sense of purpose.
The report suggests that although digital evangelism may create opportunities to encounter Christianity, the local church remains indispensable.
Ryan, 28, a young professional living in a shared house, experienced this: “The church very clearly gave me that in terms of a home, an identity, a community, an ability to think about issues on a deeper level than I had before.”
Whether they settled on an evangelical church or Anglo-Catholic, what consistently appealed to them was worship that had "confidence", "seriousness" and "authenticity".
Interestingly, it emerged from interviews that the Church of England's online presence is not as strong as other denominations like the Roman Catholic Church or independent Christian voices, and researchers suggested there may be opportunities for Anglican leaders and thinkers to present their faith more proactively on online platforms.
The report stopped short of claiming that Britain is experiencing a large-scale religious revival, choosing more cautiously instead to describe what it calls "an emerging openness" to Christianity among some young adults.
It also notes the challenges - with many interviewees describing little knowledge of Christianity or the Bible within their social milieu, and noting that it is now several generations since going to church was the norm in Britain.
Becky said, “I grew up believing [Christianity is] Bible bashing, it’s a cult. [My family were] very, very against it ... I’d never read a Bible, I’d never sung a hymn, nothing.”
Dom, 24, said, “There are people in our generation who don’t know any Bible stories at all. They know that Jesus was a person and probably that he was crucified, but they can’t really tell you anything else ... sometimes even their parents don’t know Bible stories.
"We’re at a weird point where we’ve had almost three generations of people who haven’t gone to church.”
The report suggests that Christians should not only be ready to extend an invitation to the curious but also make sure their churches are ready to properly welcome them in.
"The importance of community and belonging, many said, was something that the Church of England should prioritise in its youth outreach," the report said.
"Many stressed the importance of making young people feel as welcome as possible by personally approaching newcomers; inviting them to events; and better involving them in decision-making and governance.
"Several suggested appointing more student and youth representatives at deanery and general synod meetings, so that young people may be more visibly represented and engaged in the running of the church."
The young people involved in the study also recommended that the Church of England be more confident about its special place as the national Church.
"Whether they came from high or low church traditions, or identified as conservative, liberal or apolitical, this was a view that the majority of our interviewees shared," the report concluded.
"Now more than ever, they felt, the Church could be more assured in its identity, recognising its heritage and traditions as something to be valued, preserved, and shared."
Commenting on the findings, Dr Nick Shepherd from the Church of England's Vision and Strategy team said: “That young adults are exploring and questioning faith demands serious attention.
“Whilst the facts and figures around patterns of attendance still need careful examination, we commissioned this preliminary report to ask 'what’s going on here?' and then 'how might we respond?'”
He added, “This report listens to the faith journeys of young adults engaging with the Church of England and aims to help us discern how we might accompany them, and those yet to come, into new destinations.”
