The Evangelical Fellowship of India has released its 2023-2024, 56-page ‘Survey of Youth Issues Among Christian Young People’ with data collected by Christ’s Love For All (CLFA) Youth Movement, focusing on the contemporaneous post-pandemic challenges and influences on Christian youth in the country.
Data collection for the survey involved getting the views of 416 youngsters aged 15 to 24 between October 2023 and January 2024. Four main themes and 13 sub themes were identified, including gender identity, media addiction and the significance of family and intergenerational discipleship.
According to the report, about 356 million people in India are aged between 10 to 24, equivalent to one in every three people. The report’s authors hightlighted the need for churches to invest efforts in “youth centric initiatives” because India “in this sense” is a young country.
“More than at any time in the past, the lives of today’s youth from urban areas have become significantly more challenging,” said the report.
“There has been a notable shift in terms of socio economic development, lifestyle, technological advancement, and environmental surroundings over the last few decades.
“About 87% of young women and men living in developing countries face challenges brought about by limited and unequal access to resources, healthcare, education, training, and employment, as well as economic, social, and political opportunities.”
In a foreword, Project Head Dr. Joyson K. Cherian said the importance of the report could not be underplayed in consideration of the fact that India has the “largest number of young people in a nation the world has ever seen.” He said the pioneering of theology for youth ministry was consequently proving essential to equip “seminarians, clergy and youth workers.”
The survey showed varying opinions about church and societal matters but a figure clearly standing out related to the desired impact on society by young people. Some 63.7 percent of respondents felt involvement in social work to be an important channel.
“Young people can donate their time and skills to causes they care about by volunteering in their local communities or for nonprofit organizations,” the report said. “Their work in addressing urgent community needs, such as feeding the impoverished, financing education, and offering medical assistance, can be done through the arts, technology, education, or financial contributions.”
The report found that young Christians in India were confused about gender identity, “which we might have taken for granted” with 29.3 percent saying it was a pressing question. The report pointed to “nuanced views” emerging in opposition to traditional biblical views on heterosexual marriage, and a reference was made to the writings of the Apostle Paul in Galatians 3: 28, who emphasized “inner character and spiritual ideology over external appearances.”
“According to the survey, 13.2% stated that someone’s gender identity should be the same as their gender at birth. 29.1% indicated that it would be sinful to act in these directions especially for a Christian to marry or have sex with someone of the same sex. 13.9% stated that homosexuality as a way of life should not be accepted by society. It was also found that 39.9% did not know if they agreed to the topics of homosexuality and gender identity.”
Prominent sin struggles reported by the youngsters included phone addiction (30.6%), abusive words (23.8%), lust and pornography (22.4%) and substance addictions (18.6%).
Issues that worry youth also showed varying viewpoints. Addiction, involving the sin struggles noted above, was 29.3%, which includes social media addiction.
“Many youngsters are addicted to social media,” the report noted, “and the changing lifestyle sees them more engaged in the virtual world than in reality. Statistical data reveals an alarming percentage of young people using social media, but what is more concerning is the amount of time spent and the nature of their activities on these platforms.”
Other concerns were about relationships, including with parents and romantic partners (20.8%). Previous failed relationships in particular had a lasting effect causing “fear of commitment, trust issues and emotional vulnerability.” Economic pressures add to this burden, the report noted.
Corruption concerned 11.8 percent, with giving bribes too often a cultural norm for gaining employment. Mental health was another worry (19.5%), which is representative of the fact India has the highest number of depressed people of all ages in the world - 56 million.
India contains a diverse array of religions although the Pew Research Center noted 79.8 percent of the population were Hindus in 2021. Other faiths include Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains – and Christians. Religious clashes in the youth survey concerned 14.8 of respondents, and the report noted this a “pressing issue for Indian youth due to deep rooted historical, social, and political factors that perpetuate these conflicts.
“Despite India's secular constitution and efforts by various organizations to promote religious tolerance, acts of violence persist, often leading to tragic consequences.
“The vilification of minorities and the lack of accountability for perpetrators of violence have eroded trust in the justice system and exacerbated communal tensions. The youth, amidst economic challenges, unemployment, and social issues, find themselves disillusioned by the recurring religious conflicts that hinder national growth and unity.”
Questions about God and faith saw 36.9 percent of respondents questioning, “Why do things always go wrong with me?” Another 20.3 percent opined that God didn’t answer their prayers, according to their worldview, and 9.1 percent didn’t understand the theological concept of the Trinity. Another 10.3 percent queried why God had not healed them of an ailment.
Only 1.7 percent saw developing a relationship with God as a priority question about life and the future. In reference to this figure, the report said building a relationship with God was a lifelong journey: “It involves regular prayer, reading scripture, participating in a faith community, integrating faith into daily life, and seeking God’s presence in all circumstances. Developing this relationship requires intentional effort and openness to experiencing God’s love and guidance.”
Yet another 2.4 percent prioritized self development and 13 percent their career or calling. Spiritual questions were top priorities for 12.3 % but a larger 35.3% had no questions at all.
In regards to looking at what the wider church “gets right”, 37% said fellowship, 33% said focusing on youth, and 25% opted for contemporary worship.
However, areas of the church needing attention resulted in a very complex picture: gospel sharing (19.2%), youth engagement (17.4%), fellowship (9.7%), lack of enthusiasm in worship (9.2%), groupism (8.2%), lack of leadership opportunities for the youth (7.9%), identity issues (6.6%), engaging with newcomers (4.7%), clear policies (4.7%), sexuality (4.4%), financial accountability (3.2%), and no areas needing improvement just 3.5%.
At the same time, feeling connected to a church received more positive responses, with 45.9% feeling increasingly connected day-by-day and 28.4% reporting a strong connection to their local fellowship.
“A person’s self identity is in part derived from the social groups to which they belong. Their beliefs about belonging to a group influence their attitudes and actions. Religious groups such as churches, do shape the values, implying a sense of connection.
“Regular attendance at church makes it more likely for people to believe that their congregation is highly cohesive and being a part of this highly cohesive congregation leads to more emotional support from fellow church members. This results in a more spiritual connection with others and with God. Additionally, this strengthens the sense of connection one has to the church.”
The involvement of youth in church activities was diverse, ranging from prayer (19.5%), to worship or choir (19.9%), youth group (16.5%) or preaching (5.3%) amongst other methods of involvement. Meanwhile, the sense of knowing one’s calling in life was evenly split with 50.5% affirmatively against 49.5% negatively.
“The church provides young people with an ideal setting for learning to live in relationship with God, others, and the world,” said the report. “The involvement of the youth in the activities of the church allows them to practice their beliefs.”
Lastly, confidence in sharing the gospel also shared a mixed result although 50.2% did respond “sometimes” and 15.5% frequently against 21.4% who rarely share the message about Jesus Christ. The report noted a variety ways of utilizing this domestic mission work, such as inviting to church (14.1%), telling gospel stories (18.5%) or during daily conversations (19%).
