Open to Jesus

A look at teens' perceptions of and affection for Jesus

It’s rare that teens think poorly of Jesus. The global impression of Jesus is that he is trustworthy, generous, wise, peaceful … and the glowing list goes on. Among biblical characteristics of Jesus that stand out to teens, the top selections stress his forgiving and compassionate nature and his reputation as a teacher and miracle worker. Neutral ideas about Jesus are more common than negativity, even among non-Christians.

What Teens Believe about Jesus

All Teens

Commitment to Jesus

Engagement with the Bible

Motivation for Justice

Positive Traits

Negative Traits

n=24,870 teens ages 13-17, July 21-August 24, 2021

Knowing and Growing with Jesus

When teens identify as a Christian, that doesn’t mean they have made a personal commitment to follow Jesus (this isn’t entirely surprising, based on previous
Barna research). One in five teens around the world (22%) is a Christian with a personal commitment to follow Jesus, while nearly one in three (30%) is a Christian who has not made such a commitment.

Though personal commitment to follow Jesus may not be the norm among today’s teens, general curiosity about Jesus is high. Among Christian teens, the desire to learn about Jesus is widespread and only deepens as they grow in their relationship to him. Nearly all Christian teens with a personal commitment to follow Jesus want to grow in their knowledge of him throughout their lives.

Get the journal to dive deeper into how teens around the world relate to Jesus.