Page 29 - Finding Jesus with Good News report A5 WEB

What helped during their faith journey?

Everyone’s faith journey is unique, but we wondered if there were common threads
or patterns that encouraged people as they explored Christianity. Initially, they
could select from a wide range of factors (below). We then asked them which one or
two were most helpful.

Which of these helped as you explored Christian faith?
(Select any that apply)

Attending church in person 59%
Reading the Bible 47%
Attending a course or small group 42%
Spiritual experience 39%
Hospitality, generosity or service of Christians 38%
Answered prayer 37%
Conversation with a specific Christian friend 36%
Conversation with various Christians 32%
Conversation with a church leader 23%
Faith of family member/partner 22%
Reading Christian resources 19%
Attending Christian events 18%
Specific sermons 16%
Online resources 15%
Watching church services online 12%
Social media posts 10%
Exploring other religions 8%

Firstly, attending church was cited by 59% as a significant part of their journey,
and 27% said it was one of the two most significant factors. The importance of the
church community came up frequently in the interviews as a very significant factor
in their journeys towards Jesus. While several participants told us how much they
had been impacted by times of sung worship and by sermons, the most significant
aspect of church they talked about was the people they encountered. Of course,
there will be those who came to church and never returned, but for many of these
participants, attending a church service and being welcomed there was hugely
impactful.

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