In 2020, Changing Shape: the faith lives of Millennials was published. It explored faith development among Millennial Christians living in Northeast England through their twenties. This research builds on the 2020 study by examining the ongoing faith journey of that demographic group through the next decade.

Once again, the aim was primarily pastoral: to explore what was now shaping their faith, and how it was impacting their wellbeing and influencing their lives. In addition – given a reported ‘epidemic of loneliness’ – particular attention was paid to their friendships and their experiences of living in Northeast England. Providing a picture of how this religious minority are navigating a challenging life-stage will enable those concerned with their wellbeing to support them more effectively, particularly as leaders in the church and society, and parents to the next generation.  

The full report contains materials to facilitate discussion with Millennials and consider practical implications from the findings.

The Research Project

In 2024, an online survey was completed by a diverse range of 283 Christians born between 1981-1996. Whether born locally or elsewhere, all were currently residing in County Durham, the Tees Valley, Tyne and Wear, or Northumberland. Subsequently, 31 participants from a range of regions, backgrounds, ages, and Christian traditions were interviewed to explore their answers in greater depth.

This summary contains key findings from six themes that emerged from their accounts.

1. Maturing Millennial Faith: The desire to follow Jesus

2. How Faith Helps: The desire for hope and a future

3. Faith and Parenthood (or not): The desire for family

4. Faith and Friendship: The desire for deep connection

5. Millennials and Church: The desire for community

6. Faith and Purpose: The desire to bring about change

Finally, some conclusions are drawn and recommendations made.

Key Findings

1. Maturing Millennial Faith: The desire to follow Jesus

The majority of participants fell into two categories.

• Some were recent converts. Often from traumatic or disadvantaged backgrounds, they were passionate about faith and enthusiastic about the potential for the gospel to bring change to individuals and communities.

• The majority described a longstanding Christian faith that was central to their identity and influential in their lives, and which had remained strong or grown in importance over time. The vast majority regularly attended church, and some were in leadership roles. Their beliefs were still evolving: becoming calmer and more pragmatic, having greater depth and nuance, with questions or doubts being less destabilising. They reported transitions towards historical and liturgical practices, a more liberal faith, or moderate ‘humane’ forms of evangelicalism and Pentecostalism.

• Although many were enthusiastic, nearly a fifth expressed disillusionment, boredom or struggle, and a third described their faith in mixed terms. In a demanding season of life and a challenging cultural moment, even some of the strongly committed are not necessarily finding things easy and aspire to a more dynamic and meaningful faith.

2. How Faith Helps: The desire for hope and a future

Participants reported faith having a positive impact on their lives.

• Most commonly, it provided them with a sense of hope and security as they faced challenges. Similarly, it provided an ethical framework for navigating decisions and helped in making sense of suffering. It also helped with self-esteem, mental health and personal development. Two of the most significant aspects were that Christian faith provided both a sense of purpose and social connection. 

• Overall, the majority have persisted in their faith not just because they believe the Christian gospel to be historically or theologically true, but because it impacts their lives in positive ways. They are no longer naïve, or certain they will ‘change the world for Jesus’, but faith makes more hopeful realists. It provides existential, emotional, and social sources of support, comfort and vision for the future in an increasingly uncertain world.

3. Faith and Parenthood (or not): The desire for family

Two thirds of participants were parents. As has always been the case, parenting is hard work.

• Delaying parenthood until their thirties has created a specific set of simultaneous professional and family pressures – a squeeze which many were experiencing.

• Having children showed as having both positive and negative impacts on faith, often because established spiritual practices are disrupted and have to be re-negotiated. This was particularly acute for mothers. Despite Millennial men’s active engagement with their children, women are often employed while also carrying a disproportionate amount of domestic labour, or bearing the physical brunt of infertility or post-natal depression, and are most often single parents. They were most likely to report feeling spiritually dry or disillusioned.

• Above all else, Millennial Christians want their children to have faith and are often anxious about how to model, communicate, and encourage that, particularly given the environment their children are growing up in. They value church communities that help them with that, particularly when biological families are geographically distant. 

• Among the third who were not parents, participants described experiencing shame, pity, social isolation and sometimes discrimination in strongly heteronormative church communities. Whilst parenthood is not easy, nor is being child-free. A number described friends leaving or changing churches as a result.

4. Faith and Friendship: The desire for deep connection

Given wider patterns of societal isolation (particularly among men), understanding this dynamic of Millennial faith was central to the research.

• Most participants reported at least some close friends, a majority of whom shared their Christian faith. They were often frustrated at the lack of time and capacity to maintain existing friendships and/or make new ones. Close friends tended to be historic and (apart from those who had always lived locally) living at a distance. This was particularly true among men, who – although better connected than their secular peers – tended to be less proactive in building new friendships and more dependent on partners for social connection.

• In terms of impact on their faith. International participants were very intentional about encouraging each other. However, British participants described a sense of solidarity as the primary benefit. ‘Faith-talk’ or praying together outside church contexts was rare, although they could not explain why. Some expressed frustration at the spiritual superficiality of these friendships.

• Most aspired to geographically close peers who shared their faith, and they sought out churches to facilitate that. A key factor was where in the region they lived, and the length of time for which they had done so. Building meaningful relationships takes time, and is particularly challenging in churches where people already have established networks. Relocating in this life stage can be both socially and spiritually isolating.

5. Millennials and Church: The desire for community

80% of participants reported their church as having a positive impact on their faith. Most (including those in leadership) were realistic rather than idealistic about it – recognising both joys and challenges.

• Although they had some doctrinal hard lines, many were flexible on denomination. Rather than slick production, they wanted worship and teaching that were authentic and meaningful. What mattered most, though, was community. They wanted church to feel like ‘home’; somewhere they (and their children) were known and valued and could make an appropriate contribution.

• Some were hurt or angry, particularly over leadership issues and internal conflicts. Others were frustrated at insularity or resistance to change. However, many expressed appreciation for diverse congregations, the opportunity for relationships with older Christians, and churches that were outward looking and community focussed.

• Participants reported regional variation:
• Those born locally were often one of the very few Millennials in their church, but deeply committed.
• International incomers often found integration hard and formed close networks with each other as they navigated cultural challenges.
• British incomers in small or very stable communities struggled to form meaningful relationships, including in local churches. Although some chose to attend, many travelled to find a church that felt life-giving.
• Even in larger conurbations, the mobility of their peers resulted in individuals feeling ‘left behind’ as their friends relocated.

6. Faith and Purpose: The desire to bring about change

86% of participants reported that their faith gave them a sense of purpose and self-esteem. This was a typically altruistic activity that contributed to the greater good or ‘Kingdom of God’.

• Parents saw this as a central part of God’s purpose for their lives.

• Not all participants considered themselves to have a calling, but most were pursuing careers, ministries, or other humanitarian activities which they believed honoured God and played a part in His plans.

• New believers were particularly enthusiastic about pursuing societal transformation, believing God could transform others as he had transformed them. Beyond that, only a few had vision for systemic, radical, or global change. However, many recognised local needs and wanted to somehow participate in the transformation of individual lives and communities. Overall, faith inspired them to pursue modest social and spiritual change, aiming to make a difference through relationships, church, and professional activity.

Some Implications and recommendations

Millennial Christians are demonstrably deeply committed to and shaped by their faith. It is resilient if stretched, yet they are persisting with it. The most important recommendation from this research is to talk with the Millennials you know. Read and discuss this report with them. They are relational and collaborative and want to make a difference. As young adults, becoming leaders in their professional fields, they have ideas about what might be done to support, encourage and use their faith and skills.

The researcher drew five broader reflections:

1. Principled and pragmatic

Millennial Christians are something of a contradiction: both traditional and progressive, committed but questioning, longing for spiritual elders but sceptical of authority.  They have developed a capacity to be both principled and pragmatic and tend to look for common values rather than focus on differences. This relational, flexible approach will make them interesting leaders and, if embraced, create opportunities for creativity and collaboration.

2. Establishing adulthood

If the twenties for many Millennials was a decade of exploration (‘emerging adulthood’), then their thirties are an intense season of ‘establishing adulthood’. The differences between those aged 30 and 40 were striking, and pastoral support to navigate this challenging season is required, particularly for those whose families are geographically (or emotionally) distant. Church community is hugely significant during this season, in providing peers but also, particularly, older believers who will help them navigate the processes of establishing a stable adult life.

3. The shape of resilient faith

In Changing Shape, a spectrum of five categories was reported that described Millennial faith. 

• Disappointed but persevering – whose lives were not what they had hoped, but who were determinedly hanging on to their faith, hoping for change.
• Realistic pragmatists – whose youthful zeal had settled into something more realistic and sustainable.
• Confident and calmer – whose tumultuous twenties had been supported into a more adult faith, often through the care older believers had shown them.
• Deeper faith and greater enthusiasm – often those with a profound spiritual experience, or passionate new converts.
• Radical risk takers – following unconventional lifestyles for the sake of the gospel.

Participants matched all of these but, half a decade later, a sixth category can be added between the first two: ‘Sincere but struggling’. Significant numbers described long-standing, committed Christian faith. Yet, life – and faith – were hard work, and they needed spiritual refreshment. A key question for church communities is how to facilitate this, not just for the sake of Millennials but for those they lead, and their children.

4. Friendship and faith

Millennial Christians, on the whole, do have stronger friendship and support networks than their secular peers have. However, men in particular seem to struggle to form new connections and tend to rely on historic ones. It is important that we encourage a culture of genuine hospitality, both towards and among Millennials, with a particular focus on newcomers. There is also a need to reflect on how a culture of intimacy, trust, and spiritual conversation can be encouraged in our congregations, particularly among men. 

5. Commitment and contribution

When they were younger, Millennials were accused of being self-absorbed ‘snowflakes.’ That was not the case among the participants in this study. They presented as highly committed to their faith, families, wider relationships, church, and communities. Changing churches was not done lightly; relocation was costly, and the desire to make a contribution to societal transformation was evident. Certainly, while they may be struggling with a variety of challenges, most wanted not just to belong but to contribute.  There is much to celebrate, encourage in, and learn from this generation of Christian disciples.