Over the past four years, Converge Oceania, have been conducting a ground-breaking research project – collecting the unique Christian faith stories of 439 young Australians, aged 16-20, including the positive, the negative and everything in between.
After analysing and unpacking these stories and the associated data, they have just released their Key Findings Report. I thought it would be helpful to share their five key takeaways for all of us who are journeying alongside young people – both close up or from a distance:
- Pay attention to where a young person’s faith experience has come from and where it is going. Give special attention to how young people talk about the challenges that they are facing in their journey of faith—not just what those challenges are, but the significance or weight of the challenge in the young person’s experience.
- Build rich ecosystems of spiritual support, not relying on just one favoured avenue of support, and not being overly concerned by the threat of one particular challenge.
- A good relationship with a good person grows faith. Be very careful to exercise power sensitively, doing all you can to promote agency.
- The better the relationship with young people, the wider range of discipling actions are available. Build a strong base so you can ascend the discipling pyramid with care.
- Help young people to make use of their ecosystem of faith when they are confronted by challenges.
Source: Your Story Key Findings Report, available at convergeoceania.com/yourstory.
If you get a chance to have a read through the Key Findings, I would highly recommend it. I’m especially encouraged by the idea of an “ecosystem of faith” – that’s all of us as the church body. How can we be intentional about meaningfully and thoughtfully journeying with them as they write their own unique faith stories too?
In Him,
Chris