Senior Youth Connector, Barrie Voyce, blogs about the recent publication of the second part of the latest Translating God 
research by Youthscape, a highly regarded national youth ministry organisation.
The research involved a representative sample of 1000 12–17 year olds from across the UK completing an online survey. the sample was classified into 6 “faith perspectives”: practising Christians (19.8%), nominal Christians (21.8%), God-negative ‘nones’ (17.8%), God-positive ‘nones’ (15.7%), Higher power-positive ‘nones’ (6.5%), and those practising another major religion (10.8%)
The results are interesting, and challenging to some of our perceptions about the views young people have towards God, and more significantly the person of Jesus and His church.
In the survey, young people were presented with pieces of scripture and asked to highlight words they found “attractive”. The top list was consistent. Love, hope, life, community, justice polled the highest across all the groups.
As someone who’s role is to inspire, equip and resource our churches in connecting with young people, it’s important that I stop and reflect on these findings. How does this research help us to bring the Gospel to youth in our communities? What are the points of connectivity between our churches and the youth in our parishes (but not in our congregations)?
I am further struck by a quote from one of the young people who identified themselves as believing in a higher power but not as a Christian. They said: ‘The world needs more love and less anger’.
As today’s youth look out at a world driven by anger, difference and conflict – torn apart by war, divided by hatred, influenced by cancel culture, and battling online trolling – is it any wonder that they are crying out for love, hope, and communities that bring life and justice. Things that, quite frankly, we as church should be experts in. The message we can, in fact we must, bring to this hurting generation is that they are unconditionally loved, by us and most importantly, by God.
Senior Youth Connector
Barrie Voyce leads a growing network of deanery youth connectors, enabling and equipping effective youth ministry across the diocese.
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