Evangelical Fellowship of India Releases Comprehensive Youth Survey Report
Understanding the Post-Pandemic Challenges and Influences on Christian Youth in India
Dear Friends and Partners,
We are thrilled to announce the release of our latest report, “2023-24 Survey of Youth Issues Among Christian Young People.”
This comprehensive survey, conducted between October 2023 and January 2024, provides vital insights into the challenges and influences faced by young Christians in India. The survey includes data from 416 young people, primarily aged 15-24, and identifies four main themes and 13 subthemes, focusing on key issues like gender identity, addiction to media, and the significant role of family and intergenerational discipleship.
Post-Pandemic Challenges: Post-pandemic challenges among youth have been a serious concern both for the Church and society. While there have been many surveys to understand youth in general, the “Survey of Youth Issues Among Christian Young People” focuses on young people within the Indian Church.
Key Highlights from the Report:
- Major Influences on Faith:
- Family is the most influential factor (26%), especially parental impact.
- Friends and acquaintances (15%) and church/spiritual leaders (10%) also play significant roles.
- Other influences include spiritual retreats, media, and personal experiences.
- Youth Preferences for Assistance:
- Most youth (53.5%) prefer seeking help from their parents.
- Friends (17.3%) and local church pastors (12%) are other preferred sources of support.
- A small percentage relies on other relatives, church youth group leaders, or fellow church members.
- Questions and Concerns:
- Topics like gender identity, homosexuality, addiction, relationship issues, mental health, and religious clashes are prominent concerns among youth.
- Many youths are puzzled about gender identity and consider media addiction a sin.
- Experiences and Opinions about the Church:
- The church’s strengths include fellowship, youth focus, and contemporary worship.
- Challenges include outreach, identity issues, and building a strong foundation for faith.
- Youth involvement in the church includes participation in choirs, prayer groups, Sunday school, evangelism, and creative arts.
This report is a collaborative effort, made possible through the dedication and support of various partners. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Christ Love for All (CLFA), Dr. Graham Stanton for developing the survey questions, and the CLFA team for collecting data across India. We also acknowledge the invaluable contributions of the analysis team—Karen Terezine D’Cruz, Sangharsha Yogiraj Jiwane, and Maryann Kripa George—under the leadership of Merlyn Alex, with advisory support from Dr. Blessy Elizabeth David. Special thanks to Shefali Cherian for editing and proofreading, and Ezra Kumar for graphic design. We also want to recognize Dr. Joyson K. Cherian, the project director, for his leadership and dedication in overseeing this survey.
Partnership and Support: The preparation of the “Survey of Youth Issues Among Christian Young People” has been made possible through the partnership of Christ Love For All Youth Movement, Cornerstone Trust, Converge Asia, Nxt Move, and the Evangelical Fellowship of India.
We believe that this report will be an invaluable resource for those involved in nurturing the next generation of Christian leaders. It provides evidence-based insights and recommendations that can help shape effective youth ministry strategies and support young people in their spiritual and personal development.
We invite you to delve into the report and join us in our mission to understand and respond to the needs of young Christians in India. Together, we can build a supportive and empowering environment for our youth, guided by faith and informed by evidence.
Thank you for your continued support and partnership.
Warm Regards,
Rev. Vijayesh Lal
General Secretary, Evangelical Fellowship of India