Your Story is a unique, ground-breaking research project gathering stories from 439 young Australians (those who identify as Christian and those who don’t), exploring questions around who and what has, and is, shaping their faith from their childhood, early adolescence, and the present time. 

 

This research gives us an unprecedented understanding not just of where that young person is currently, but what their faith journey has been like from their childhood to now - including all the twists and turns across the different eras of their life. 

 

What is particularly distinctive about this research project is how we have identified the developmental narratives that lie behind young people’s present understanding and experience of God. Instead of taking a snapshot in time, we have been able to develop a time-lapse that pieces together how young people come to hold their current spirituality expression and what faith-influencers were present at key moments in their life course.

 

So, not just WHAT young people are believing, but HOW they got there: How did they come to hold the faith perspectives they have today, and what are the supportive and contrary elements in their faith journey.

 

The implications for how the church understands discipleship, and how we might best nurture faith journeys in constructive, enabling, and life-giving ways are significant. These findings may change the long-term trajectory of young people’s lives and the future of the church. 

 

Our overall goals are to  generate new and compelling insight that helps us to understand the spirituality of young people further and support Christian denominations, churches, agencies and schools in their efforts to nurture healthy and constructive spirituality in young people through evidence-based discipleship practice.

 

Through the first half of 2024, our research team are working on the final report. This will be launched at our conference in November 2024 (details TBC).

 

One aspect in the report will be the faith trajectories that young people are on, as identified through their stories. Influencing factors of these faith trajectories include:

 

• Their school context

• Their unique family situation

• The nature of their peer groups

• Their interaction with church and youth groups

• Their exposure to scripture and prayer,

• The nature of their encounters with God

​

The research also gives us valuable insights into what supports and hinders a young person in their spiritual journey.

 

Connected in with all of this is what happens to a young person when they encounter some form of disruption - or dissonance -in their life. This might be moving from primary to high school, navigating a family crisis, working through gender and sexuality questions, relational changes in their life, or something faith related.