With Easter approaching, Australian Christians should feel encouraged to ask family and friends to learn more concerning the reason for the vacation, in accordance with the outcomes of a survey from NCLS Research.
In their 2022 Australian Community Survey (2022 ACS), NCLS asked Australians about their understanding of Christianity and the way they might feel about an invite to church from believers near them—with some surprising results.
While lower than 20% of Australians attend a church service at Easter (17%), the survey found that 42% could be open to attending if invited by a friend or member of the family, a big gap that provides a significant opportunity for Christians to witness to those around them.
“People are more receptive to attending church at a big time like Easter—so go ahead and invite them,” says NCLS Research Director, Dr Ruth Powell.
The survey found that girls, individuals with a university degree, and folks born in non-English speaking countries were more more likely to be receptive to an invite to an Easter service, but age didn’t look like a significant statistical think about their answers.
“Interestingly, people from all age groups were equally more likely to say ‘yes’ to an invite,” Dr Powell said.
The survey also explored the connection the common Australian has with the Christian message, with the vast majority of respondents saying they were acquainted with Christianity to some extent. Just over 20% reported a powerful understanding of Christian teaching and values, while almost 40% said they were mostly familiar. However, almost 20% reported having little to no knowledge.
However, it was the responses when asked about Jesus that the majority reinforced the importance of the Easter message. While just over half of those surveyed said that they believed Jesus was an actual one that actually lived, 1 / 4 said they were unsure, and just over 20% said they believed Jesus was a myth or fictional character.
“This lack of understanding about Jesus is perplexing given most historians hold Jesus to be an actual figure who lived in first century Palestine,” Dr Powell said.
While many Christians could also be nervous about inviting their family and friends to church, the survey results show that constructing relationships is important in creating an environment where believers can invite their family members to learn more about Christianity, and concerning the historical figure at its heart.
