Drawing the Spiritual Search Map Benita Hewitt Director, Christian Research

How have we defined a ‘searcher’? ► Someone who has had cause to reconsider their core values, or think about the big issues like ‘the meaning of life’, in the last year 2000 interviews with a nationally representative sample of UK adults, conducted 24-27th April 09

Consideration, action and evaluation Awareness Consideration Trial Evaluation Conversion Advocacy }

Are People Searching and why? ► 73% of people are searching ► All ages, male and female, all but the lowest of social grades ► 70% of people are searching because of either the credit crunch, concern about personal finances or job insecurity

What is being considered? Base: searchers 2 in 3 searchers agree that in the last 12 months they have considered spending more time with family and friends or contacting past friends

Spending more time with friends and family or contacting past friends Awareness Consideration Trial Evaluation Conversion Advocacy 66% 60% 56% (85% retention) Base: all searchers (1472)

Hierarchy of needs Self – actualisation Esteem Love/Belonging Safety Physiological Fear of instability here People are not searching here They are searching and looking for stability here The credit crunch is eroding self esteem

Don’t leave people alone ‘For God’s sake say something!’ ► 3 in 4 people are searching ► We all know people who are affected by the economic downturn, and most of these will be searching ► Now is the time to let people know that they are loved ► Within the church community – love and support each other, and encourage all to love those around them, particularly anyone affected ► The de-churched – come back to the family ► The lonely and isolated, with no close friends and family have the greatest need – we need to be proclaiming the gospel of love ► Helping people to love and support each other better, facilitating family and community, encouraging people to belong ► Context ► increasing single person households ► job loss – loss of community and entry into the local community

Are people considering prayer, the church or the Bible? ► YES … a third of those who say they are Christian at all ► And, the research shows that it is the most helpful thing to do (after turning to family and friends) ► NO … if they do not belong to any religion ► These do not even feature on the ‘spiritual search map’ ► It is not that they are being considered but people haven’t got round to it yet, or that they have been tried and reject ► There are twice as many Christian searchers as searchers of no faith

Prayer, churchgoing or Bible reading Awareness Consideration Trial Evaluation Conversion Advocacy 33% 29% 25% Base: searchers ‘Christian’ 4% 2% 1% No religion

For those without a religion, where do they look? (after family and friends) ► Reflective time alone ► Under 35s, Social grade C1, female ► Voluntary or community work ► Under 45s (part ), Social grade ABC1 ► Artistic or musical hobby ► Under 45, Social Grade ABC1 (very C1)

Hierarchy of needs Self – actualisation Esteem Love/Belonging Safety Physiological They are mainly searching and looking for stability here Secondarily, those with no religion look here Secondarily, Christians look to prayer, the church and Bible

In summary ► Don’t leave people alone - be ‘family and friends’, to all those affected by the economic downturn and especially to those who are lonely or isolated ► Recognise and respond to who is searching and where they are searching ► Christian searchers (45% of population) ► are older ► Searching in prayer, churchgoing, voluntary/community work ► Also searching in Bible reading, spending reflective time alone, taking up an artistic or musical hobby ► Searchers with no religion (23% of population) ► are young ► Searching in voluntary/community work, spending reflective time alone, taking up an artistic or musical hobby