Why Hong Kong millennial Christians switch from Chinese local churches to international churches: A qualitative study

Abstract

In the past few years, there has been an observable phenomenon of Hong Kong millennial Christians moving from Chinese-speaking local churches to English-speaking international churches. To understand the reasons behind the movement, 30 Hong Kong millennial Christians who moved from local churches to international churches were interviewed in this study in four focus groups. Reasons for their movement include: local churches feel like formal education, churches emphasize works over grace, and churches are out of touch and irrelevant from the needs and struggles of millennials’ everyday lives. The international churches are more welcomed by Hong Kong millennial Christians as they have more to offer, including vulnerable leadership, approachable worship style, and a stronger sense of community. The results indicate the faith experience and challenges faced by Hong Kong millennial Christians in the postmodern culture, especially in the unique context of Hong Kong where Eastern culture meets Western. The research suggests a set of recommendations for churches wishing to attract and retain millennials, including the importance for churches to understand their congregants, be prepared for changes, be open to embrace and build an authentic genuine community of faith, and to own a clearly articulated vision. These will be truly helpful in cultivating the spiritual growth of our younger generations to find their place in these millennial-friendly churches.