Three in four US teenagers say they feel “motivated” to learn more about Jesus Christ, according to a new survey by the Barna Group.
Overall, 77% of teens surveyed agreed that they wanted to know more about Jesus. 52% described themselves as “very motived” to learn more about Christ, whilst a quarter said they were “somewhat” motivated to do so.
Less than one in five said they were unmotivated - 6% were “somewhat unmotivated”, and 10% “not at all motivated”. Another 7% said they were unsure.
The Barna Group tracks Christianity in America. They described the survey as “encouraging” for Christians, as it demonstrates that despite a general non-affiliation with organised religion, Gen Zs are interested in learning about faith.
Their survey comes days after a British report, which found that nearly three quarters of Gen Z believe faith-based organisations are key to societal change.
44% of those surveyed said they had greater trust in faith-backed bodies than secular charities. 42% trusted both types of charity equally. The survey revealed a generation which cares about social issues; 33% named mental health as a key concern, along with homelessness (31%), and youth crime (21%).
Josh Green, who leads the GenZeal project, focussing on faith engagement in young people, told Premier: "There’s a change happening in our nation, so don’t for one second think about giving up.
"I also hope we are inspired to call young people deeper. When we give young people an opportunity to wholeheartedly follow Jesus, the evidence shows they’re ready to rise to a high bar."