Young People and Christian Worship:
Experiences, Stories and Values
Purpose
The purpose of the Young People and Christian Worship (YPCW) study is to listen deeply to how young people, including teenagers and emerging adults (aged 13-29), experience public Christian worship in a range of liturgical contexts—Roman Catholic, mainline Protestant and Evangelical Protestant.
Instead of lamenting the absence of younger worshipers, or trying to counter demographic change, this study aims to shape better conversations about younger people and Christian worship by valuing the experiences and insights of teenagers and emerging adults who are already actively involved in Christian communities.
It is anchored in the theological commitment that young people are the church right now, not only the church of the future. They have valuable experiences and insights that can enrich how all participants understand and practice Christian worship.
“This study aims to shape better conversations about younger people and Christian worship by valuing the experiences and insights of teenagers and emerging adults who are already actively involved in Christian communities, instead of lamenting the absence of younger worshipers, or trying to counter demographic change.” —Rev. Sarah Kathleen Johnson, PhD, Co-Principal Investigator, Saint Paul University
The Vision of the Project
This YPCW Study video explains who we’re listening to, how the study is being conducted, and what these findings mean for church leaders today.
How We’re Listening
96
Individual Interviews
25
Focus Groups (~215 Participants)
45
Worship Services Observed
1400+
Nationwide Survey Responses
Where We’re Listening
Animate
Samford University
Alabama
Evangelical
Awakening
Hope College
Michigan
Reformed
Catholic Christian Outreach
University campuses across Canada
Canada, multiple locations
Roman Catholic
Luther Summer Music
Valparaiso University
Indiana
Lutheran
Ontario Mennonite Music Camp
Conrad Grebel University College
Ontario
Mennonite
One Bread, One Cup
St Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology
Indiana
Roman Catholic
Worship Arts Lab
Azusa Pacific University
California
Wesleyan-Holiness
Worship Lab
Baylor University
Texas
Baptist
Worship and Music Week
Presbyterian Association of Musicians
North Carolina
Presbyterian
“Worship matters to young people, and if we want to understand the ‘how’ and ‘why’ factors behind that statement, we need to consult young people themselves. Our research project is responding to that need, and I look forward to continuing to learn through it.” —Mykayla Turner, Doctoral Candidate Researcher, Saint Paul University
What You Can Do Right Now
Listen to the young people in your context. We have prepared a few questions for you. Listen to the stories of young people in your church.
Share
Share a story about a memorable experience of a worship service. It might have been a good experience or a bad experience. Remember that worship services happen in many different forms and places, such as at schoo, camp, family events and holidays in addition to Sunday at church
Think
Think about a time when you attended a worship service in a community that was new to you. What stood out to you as adifferent about that service from worship in your community? Mabyebe you were visiting a friend or family member, or maybe you were on vacation or it was a special occasion.
Dream
In your wildest dreams, what would the best worship service ever be like? It might be very different from anything you have experienced before.
“We’re deeply grateful to the multitude of participants who were not only willing but enthusiastic to collaborate with us. From university program directors to ministry leaders, to lay mentors, to the young people themselves—so many offered their time, energy and vulnerability to make this project possible.” —Rev. Emily Snider Andrews, PhD, Co-Principal Investigator, Samford University Center for Worship and the Arts
Research Team
Co-principal Investigators
- Emily Snider Andrews, Associate Professor of Music and Worship, Executive Director of the Center for Worship and the Arts, Samford University
- Nelson Cowan, Director of the Center for Worship and the Arts, Samford University
- Sarah Kathleen Johnson, Associate Professor of Liturgy and Pastoral Theology, Saint Paul University
Doctoral Student Research Assistants
- Mykayla Turner, PhD Candidate, Faculty of Theology, Saint Paul University
- Erik Sorensen, PhD Candidate, Faculty of Theology, Saint Paul University
Undergraduate and Graduate Research Assistants
- Claire Alford, Undergraduate Student, Business, Samford University
- Tom Horner, Graduate Student, Church Music, Samford University
- Caroline Lewis, Undergraduate Student, Psychology, Samford University
- Noah Myers, Undergraduate Student, Music, Samford University
- Peyton Robbins, Undergraduate Student, Studio Art, Samford University
- Lori Walker, Undergraduate Student, Graphic Design, Samford University
Funding
- Vital Worship, Vital Preaching Grant, Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
- Future Church Project Grant, Baylor University
- Samford University Center for Worship and the Arts
- Lilly Endowment, Inc.
Further Insights
- Research at CWA: Big Things are Coming! by Nelson Cowan and Emily Snider Andrews
- Awakening – The Impact of Worship Experiences on Young People by Mykayla Turner
- Immersed in Liturgy: Insights from Young Leaders at the One Bread One Cup Conference by Erik Sorensen
“The perspectives of young people matter for more than just congregations—they also give theologians and researchers new ways of understanding faith, religious communities, and everyday life.” —Rev. Nelson Cowan, PhD, Co-Principal Investigator, Samford University Center for Worship and the Arts
Results from the Nationwide Survey are forthcoming in 2026.
Supporting Institutions
Young People and Christian Worship: Experiences, Stories, and Values (YPCW) is a collaborative research project jointly sponsored by Saint Paul University, Ottawa, Ontario, and Samford University’s Center for Worship and the Arts, Birmingham, AL. Primary investigators include Emily Snider Andrews, PhD, Nelson Cowan, PhD, and Sarah Kathleen Johnson, PhD. The YPCW study is made possible thanks to generous funding from Lilly Endowment, Inc., the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, Baylor University’s Future Church Grant program, and a SSHRC Institutional Grant from Saint Paul University.
Photo from April 22–24, 2026 consultation at Calvin University, sponsored by the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
Research Consultants
- Karl G.D. Bailey
- Deborah Lynn Coe
- Megan DeWald
- Sabrina Di Matteo
- Julia King
- Jason Brian Santos
- Nam Soon Song
- Mary Mykayla Lyn Turner
- Virginia Ward
- Henry James Zonio
“I am immensely grateful for this opportunity to learn from youth and young people. What I learned from these young people will help me to be a better minister to the communities that I serve.” —Fr. Erik Sorensen, SJ
