On July 23, the Pastoral Data Research Institute (PDRI) in South Korea released the results of its survey on Christian youth highlighting areas that churches should focus on to strengthen the faith of Christian middle and high school students. It revealed that half of Christian youth spend less than five minutes a day on their faith activities, and only 43% are comfortable expressing their faith and discussing it at school.
Evaluating the main findings of the ‘Christian Middle and High School Students' Faith Awareness Survey’, which was conducted with 500 church-attending middle and high school students, the institute reported that these students “exhibited a level of faith where they struggled to express their Christian identity.”
According to the survey, 30% of respondents reported not practicing their faith at all during the day, which was the most common response. This was followed by ‘less than 5 minutes’ at 21%, and ‘between 5-10 minutes’ at 15%. Combining the responses for ‘not practicing’ and ‘less than 5 minutes’ amounted to 51%. Only 22% of the students spent more than 30 minutes on faith-related activities each day.
Additionally, 43% of students said they were comfortable expressing their Christian identity and discussing their faith at school. However, 19% felt reluctant to mention that they attend church, and 17% reported having been criticized or mocked for being Christian.
“The fact that students are not proud to reveal their Christian identity and that it can even be a target of criticism among peers indicates the presence of a negative image of Christianity within the school culture,” PDRI commented.
28% of students stated that they had made a commitment to live a changed life after being inspired by worship and sermons (‘frequently’). Similarly, 27% said they had reflected on their past actions and themselves during worship. Other findings included 21% who received comfort and courage from sermons when they were discouraged, and 16% who tried to remember and practice insights from worship throughout the week.
The PDRI noted, “In general, the impact of sermons on students' lives is evident in about 2-3 out of 10 students.”
The institute also emphasized, “Sermons currently have little impact on nurturing the faith or changing the lives of Christian youth. Therefore, it is crucial to consider touching on specific life circumstances of youths and reconsider the delivery methods to engage them more effectively. Above all, the dedication and passion of pastors are critical for youth ministry.”
When asked about practicing their Christian life in daily activities, 20% of students reported that they often refrain from using vulgar expressions or swearing, and 18% said they strive to live more diligently. The PDRI pointed out that “only about 2 out of 10 students actively practice their Christian life in their daily routines.”
49% of students found church middle and high school worship services to be ‘not boring’, while 27% said they were ‘average’ and 24% found them ‘boring’. Thus, about 1 in 4 Christian youths felt that worship services were boring.
17% responded that the ‘atmosphere of the worship is rigid’, while 62% disagreed. Regarding worship music, 12% said it was ‘not inspirational’, whereas 70% found it ‘inspirational’. The PDRI concluded, “Although the overall atmosphere and worship music are not bad, the relatively high percentage of those finding the services boring suggests a need to reassess the structure and delivery of sermons and the overall worship experience.”
When asked what they expect from middle and high school worship services and activities, 30% of students prioritized ‘fellowship with friends and peers’, followed by ‘praise’ at 28%, ‘sermons’ at 14%, and ‘prayer’ at 11%. “Students showed a clear preference for fellowship with friends and praise over sermons and prayer,” the PDRI observed.
72% of students reported feeling close to their youth pastor, and 74% felt close to their youth group teachers. Conversely, 28% did not feel close to their pastor, and 26% did not feel close to their teachers.
The PDRI stressed, “About 3 out of 10 students do not feel close to their youth pastors or teachers, highlighting the need to prioritize building close relationships in youth ministry. Such relationships can encourage active participation in worship and significantly influence the faith growth of students.”
When students who did not feel close to their pastors or teachers were asked why, the most common reason was ‘there is no particular reason to be close’ (37% for pastors, 34% for teachers).
Originally published on Christian Daily Korea. Translated and edited by Christian Daily International staff.
