A recent survey conducted on 3,000 adults from the United Kingdom has shown a sharp decline in the number of practicing Christians.
The Christian Post reported that only 6% of UK adults identify themselves as practicing Christians. This number represents a 53% decline from the 68% of non-Christians in the UK who responded knowing someone as a practicing or active Christian in 2015, Premiere Christian News said.
These numbers are accordingly lifted from the Talking Jesus survey, which is conducted every half a decade to aid Church leaders to grow and adapt mission strategies. The gap of seven years in the recent survey was due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Five Christian organizations-Alpha, Evangelical Alliance, Luis Palau Association, and Kingsgate Community Church-have commissioned the recent survey.
Hope Together Executive Director Rachel Jordan-Wolf, who is involved in the survey, disclosed that the results provide pastors and the general faithful a hint on the need to broaden one's circle of friends.
"It's a significant drop that shows that our reach has diminished, and we've got less contact. There are more non-Christians who don't know an active or practicing Christian. So that's something really to watch. It could be because of the pandemic, as we've all not been out and about as much. But these are often significant relationships, so someone they call a friend or family member," Jordan-Wolf said.
"It's a little bit of a warning that we might have somehow shrunk the people we're connected to. So as churches, we need to look out and as individuals, we need to expand our friendship circle and make sure that we've got some great life-giving friendships with people who don't yet know Jesus," she added.
In the 2022 Talking Jesus Survey, almost half or 42% of respondents admitted they are non-practicing Christians. The survey also showed that one in three non-Christians say they are interested in knowing more about Jesus Christ.
While white Brits make up 70% of those who identify as Christians, which coincidentally make up 83% of adults in the United Kingdom. The rest of the composition of respondents shows 25% that identify as Christians are ethnic minorities, which in turn represent only 12% of adults in the United Kingdom. The rest of the population or 12% identify as atheists and 4% identify as agnostics. A total of 6% of Brits name themselves as Christians.
Interestingly, 25% of Brits refer to themselves as a "normal human being" and a separate 33% consider themselves as a spiritual leader or prophet though not God. The survey also indicated that 45% of respondents believe that Jesus resurrected from the dead and 20% acknowledge Him as the Son of God.
One in three non-Christians conveyed that they wanted to know more about Jesus Christ after having a conversation with a Christian. Jordan-Wolf highlighted that this number has comparatively increased to that recorded in 2015, which was one in five non-Christians. The director deducted the possibility of the pandemic and the heightened uncertainty in the world today has made people more interested in Christianity. She pointed out the opportunity this brings Christians to talk about the faith in the world today.
In addition, the survey also showed that people learn about Christianity through Google search (26%), a visit to a local church (22%), reading the Bible (22%), or talking to a Christian relative or friend 15%.
