A recent survey has suggested that the overwhelming majority of American teens have not less than a passing interest in knowing more about Jesus.
The survey, conducted by Barna Research, found that 77% of American teenagers are motivated to study Jesus, with 52% “very” motivated and the remaining 25% merely “somewhat” motivated to know Jesus.
Ten per cent said they weren’t motivated to know Jesus in any respect, while 6% reported being “somewhat unmotivated”, with the remaining 7% claiming to be “unsure”.
Barna described the outcomes as “encouraging news”, saying it was an indication that despite hesitation to go to church, there may be “curiosity about spiritual matters”.
Barna called on church leaders to “create spaces for open dialogue where teens can explore their questions on Jesus without pressure”, saying that the apparent willingness to study Jesus signals a “significant opportunity for meaningful engagement”.
The group said, “It’s also crucial to know that while teens express interest in Jesus, they might approach faith in a different way than previous generations. Furthermore, authenticity and relevance are key. Be prepared to handle difficult questions truthfully and show how Jesus and the Bible relate to the world we live in today.”
Previous research by Barna has suggested that faith background of teens has an impact on who or what they trust most as a source to study Jesus.
Among “committed Christian teens”, essentially the most trusted source is the Bible itself, with 95% considering it a trustworthy source. This figure falls to 71% amongst “nominal Christian teens” and to 49% per cent amongst non-Christian teens.
Nominal teens place as much trust in relations as they do the Bible, while amongst non-Christian teens, essentially the most trusted source for learning about Jesus, at 53%, is themselves.
Interestingly, non-Christian teens generally view Christians or church leaders because the least reliable source of knowledge about Jesus, with only 40% considering them trustworthy.
