The Gap Between Practice & Identity

Reflections on McCrindle's recent report on Christianity in Australia.

Is Christianity really in decline — or is something deeper happening beneath the surface?

In this episode, Joel McMaster and I take a break from our recent mini-series' on Soul Revival's service teams to unpack the fascinating new report from Christian research group McCrindle on the state of Christianity in Australia, titled An Undercurrent of Faith. While headlines often focus on the drop in people identifying as Christian — from 61% in 2011 to 44% in 2021 — the data reveals a surprising undercurrent: over 784,000 Australians have moved from having no religion to identifying as Christian.

We explore what might be behind this shift, especially among older Australians where crisis moments like divorce or bereavement can lead to renewed spiritual searching. Meanwhile, Gen Z is showing a greater openness to spiritual conversations than any other generation — and a stronger link between belief and practice, with more regular church attendance than their parents or grandparents.

This episode also dives i…