information for transformational people

Discipleship 246Exploring spiritual growth amongst 18- to 35-year olds in the UK church



From research by CCX - The Gregory Centre for Church Multiplication

CCX commissioned research into what is actually helping people to grow as missionary disciples – growing in Christ-likeness, making disciples, and enabling multiplication. Its outline practices and learnings essential to spiritual growth amongst 18- to 35-year-olds in the UK church. Discover what can aid and hinder spiritual growth, what is working well and what the Church can do to encourage growth.

If church leaders want to promote the spiritual formation of 18 to 35-year-olds, the most effective thing they can do is to help them find community. But not just any community. The research particularly pointed to the value of:

  1. Interaction with peers, characterised by trust and authenticity, Christians modelling growth to each other, and mutual challenge and accountability.
  2. Investment from a more mature Christian, who models following Jesus, provides opportunities to try new things, meets with the younger Christian regularly, and whom the younger Christian trusts.

Wider recommendations are:

  1. Help 18 to 35-year-olds find formational community, marked by: a. Interaction with peers, characterised by trust and authenticity, Christians modelling growth to each other, and mutual challenge and accountability b. Investment from a more mature Christian, who models following Jesus, provides opportunities to try new things, meets with the younger Christian regularly, and whom the younger Christian trusts
  2. Think about pathways, not just practices. Which pathways undergird your church’s practices for spiritual growth? How might you intentionally activate these pathways to help promote further growth?
  3. Cast a vision for spiritual growth, which inspires congregation members to choose to grow, and helps them see the connection between mission, and spiritual formation.
  4. Build in practices that encourage spiritual growth: a. Teach your church to find creative ways of spending purposeful, regular time with God – are there practices you could commit to corporately? b. Teach your church to read the Bible in ways that are not purely informational c. Provide calls to action for those who are willing to take them: mission, leadership, service, corporate prayer, etc.
  5. Teach on suffering: How, specifically, can suffering lead to growth? How can you support your congregation in responding to it (addressing questions of why God allowed it and how to follow Jesus at times when they feel overwhelmed)?
  6. Remember the Spirit as an active, independent cause of growth, revealing God’s power and leading to repentance.

There will be barriers. These are:

  1. Unhelpful community - including other Christians, non-Christians, romantic relationships.
  2. Busyness
  3. Lack of community
  4. Suffering as a barrier

Read the full report here.


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From research by CCX - The Gregory Centre for Chur, 22/07/2025

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