Page 34 - Finding Jesus with Good News report A5 WEB

The final two most significant categories involved talking things through. Firstly,
attending courses was significant for 42% of people, and it was one of the two
most important factors for a fifth of participants. Of the 20 new Christians we
interviewed, eight had attended an Alpha course, and three had attended
Christianity Explored. Participants spoke positively about both, saying that they
were helpful for providing the foundational building blocks of Christian faith and
life. However, the two most significant aspects were:
• The people around the table with them.
They talked positively about the Christians hosting sessions, as well as those
who were exploring faith. They liked being on a journey with others, hearing
their stories, and seeing the quality of character in those already following
Jesus.
• The opportunity to ask questions.
Whether they were exploring faith or had recently made a commitment to
follow Jesus, people had lots of questions. Having a safe space to share those
and grapple with difficult issues was very significant in helping them take steps
towards making a commitment, or in cementing the commitment they had
already made.

Who had been most helpful?
Help in talking things through included individual Christians who journeyed with
them. We asked people to be specific about who had been most helpful. (They
could choose more than one.)
• For the 18-25s, friendship was most important, which makes sense given the
influence of peers in that life stage.
• Those from lower incomes were more likely to report talking to Christians they
had met at church rather than friends or family, emphasising the importance of
inclusion for those who may have no close Christian relationships.
• Older participants and those from lower incomes were more likely to cite
church leaders.
Many spoke about grandparents, siblings and even their children as conversation
partners. However, one in ten overall, and one fifth of those with no faith
background, made the journey alone, with no one to talk to. These people typically
relied on the internet, especially YouTube and podcasts, for information.

34 Finding Jesus