Missions in Review—Trends Impacting Global Missions & Evangelism

How are U.S. Christians currently thinking about “making disciples of all nations?”

Much of international missions work adapted or was even put on hold last year due to the pandemic. Yet, even well before then, the overall perception of how to practice missions and global evangelism has been shifting, especially among younger generations. There are plenty of reasons for leaders to be curious about how Christians’ thoughts on the topic of missions are evolving.

Barna has partnered with Mission India to explore ideas about effective and sustainable global missions, beginning with Barna’s Activating Missions CoLab. As a starting point, here’s what Barna’s previous studies have revealed about the U.S. Church’s relationship to sharing faith, locally and globally.

Half of Churchgoers Do Not Know the Great Commission
Data from Barna’s Translating the Great Commission report, created in partnership with Seed Company, show that, as of 2018, only 17 percent of churchgoers had heard of “the Great Commission” and knew what the term meant. The remainder of churchgoers largely had never heard of it (51%), with a quarter (25%) saying that they had heard of it but couldn’t recall the exact meaning.

2018 research also shows that age makes a significant difference in whether churchgoers recognize the Great Commission. More than one-quarter of Elders (29%) and Boomers (26%) said they knew the term, compared to 17 percent of Gen X and one in 10 Millennials (10%). Although not even half of any age group knew the Great Commission well, the youngest adult generation was least likely to recognize it. 

Gen Z Feels Equipped for Faith Conversations, but Not Necessarily for Evangelism
Barna has reported on how younger generations—Millennials and Gen Z—think about and practice evangelism differently than older Christians, with significant percentages of practicing Christian Millennials specifically being opposed to evangelism. Even so, when young people do desire to share their faith with others, the local church seems to be a partner in this endeavor.

Recent data published in Reviving Evangelism in the Next Generation, a journal created in partnership with Alpha USA, show that Christian Gen Z teens 13–18-years-old are relatively open to having faith conversations with non-Christians. When it comes to whether or not their faith community had prepped them for spiritual discussions, the majority (47%) notes that their church has “definitely” done a good job equipping them to have these types of faith conversations.

Despite most saying their church has done a good job equipping them to talk about faith (47% definitely, 39% probably), a large percentage of Christian teens (68%) still shares that they have never had training specifically for evangelism, with another 13 percent saying they are “not sure.” This is true even among those who are actively having faith conversations with non-Christians. Overall, roughly one in five Christian teens (19%) has had this sort of training, with that number rising just slightly to 23 percent among teens who have had a faith conversation with a non-Christian within the past year.

19% of Global Churchgoers Ages 18–35 Say Others’ Examples Inspire Them to Be a Missionary
With evangelism perceptions and preference shifting among younger generations, church leaders might be wondering how this impacts future missions work and support. Are churches creating space for young believers to learn about global ministry, address their doubts or questions about international missions and meet missionaries?

Research from The Connected Generation, an international Barna study conducted in partnership with World Vision, takes a closer look at how being part of a local church or faith community has inspired young adults ages 18–35 to practice aid, compassion and outreach—including missions work.

The data show that churchgoing young adults around the world are often drawn to pursue new ways of living out their faith and interacting with peers in a broader religious community. These 18–35-year-olds note being inspired to consider living generously (41%), be a leader (26%) and become a missionary (19%) all from watching the examples of others at their church.

Christians’ perceptions of missions are indeed changing, especially as younger generations ponder what global missions and evangelism efforts look like on their terms. These data should act as a reminder to church leaders to consider how they define and sustain a healthy, effective missions culture through their church and across generations.

Further resources on missions:

• Read Translating the Great Commission, available for purchase in the Barna store, or free with a Barna Access Plus subscription.
• Check out Reviving Evangelism in the Next Generation to discover how Gen Z teens think about and practice evangelism in 2021.
• Learn more about how the Church is developing the most globally connected generation into future world and Church leaders in The Connected Generation.