WHO'S IN THE PEWS

What the 2021 National Church Life Survey found about young adults in churches

Age results In the 15 to 34 year age group, the numbers of Pentecostals declined by 13% between 2016 and 2021. Among the 35 to 54 year age group, the decline has only been 1%. However, there was a 40% increase in Pentecostals aged 75 to 84.

Decline is occurring in most Christian denominations with the Uniting Church, Salvation Army and Anglicans declining most rapidly. The fact that this pattern is so widespread across Australia and through most age groups means it cannot be blamed on what particular churches or leaders are doing. In fact, the pattern is most evident in the Western world, but detectable in most countries. It is best explained by a global movement of change, driven not so much by a change in beliefs, but a change in values.

As people focus increasingly on finding personal fulfilment through whatever interests them, they are less focused on the traditions and duties that religions have generally emphasised. The challenge for faith communities is to explore again how the Good News of the Christian faith can be best expressed in this changing world.

PROF PHILIP HIGHES is professor at Alphacrucis, and former director of the Christian Research Association. Young adult church attenders are most likely to report they are fully confident their local church can achieve what it has set out to do, according to results from the 2021 NCLS reseach.

They are also most likely of any age group to support the development of new initiatives at their church.

“This is an encouraging picture,” NCLS Research Director Dr Ruth Powell says. “The young adults in Australian churches offer the most positive view about their church experiences.”

A positive picture also emerges regarding leadership in churches. Young adults are more likely to occupy leadership or ministry roles at the churches they are part of, and they want to be more involved (29% vs 21% overall).

Nearly half of all young adults (15 to 30s) joined their church in the previous five years. Some moved from other churches, but nearly one in 10 (9%) young adults are newcomers without a church background.

Three in 10 young adult Australians say they attend religious services at least once a month. “In general, they know little about the Christian faith, but are curious rather than hostile” Dr Powell says.

Age The age profile of Australian church attenders has become even older over time with 36% of church attenders aged 70+. There are distinct denominational differences, with Pentecostal movements having a much younger age profile compared to others.

Regarding the ethnicity of church attenders, the proportion born overseas has risen over time. In 2006, 28% were born in other countries, while in 2021 this has risen to 37%.

Language “About a quarter of churchgoers (24%) speak a language other than English at home, with most being bilingual or multilingual,” Dr Powell says. Education In other results from the 2021 NCLS, people who attend church are highly educated with 44% indicating they had a university degree – up from 27% in 2006. Gender When it comes to gender, there continues to be more women than men in Australian churches (61% women, 39% men). Dr Powell says every Australian NCLS since 1991 has shown this gender imbalance.

“Across the globe, in most cultures and religious traditions, women tend to be more spiritual or religious than men,” she says. “They are more likely to pray, to say that faith is important and to attend worship.”

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