Sacred Listening, Deeper Faith

A National Research Study Exploring the Impact of Listening on Faith Formation

Trust in institutions is fading, but trust in personal relationships remains strong. Our research shows that listening is not just a tool for connection—it is a catalyst for faith formation.

Explore findings from our national study below, download free resources, and discover how ministries that prioritize listening are building deeper, more meaningful faith communities.

Agree that listening was important in the moments that shaped their faith the most.

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Agree that being listened to helps them to process spiritual challenges.

Unlock the Research & Resources

Everything in this study—insights, data, and tools—is available for you to use for free. Whether for sermons, presentations, or community discussions, these materials are designed to support your work.

If you think of something from this study that you'd like to see that isn't here, just let us know. We'd love to hear from you.

Institutional trust is at an all-time low, but personal trust remains strong. Our research confirms that while confidence in religious institutions has steadily declined for decades, trust in personal relationships remains resilient. Over 70% of adults, and 76% of teenagers, report high trust in people they know personally. Faith leaders can no longer rely on authority alone; they must prioritize relational trust.

Listening emerges both the pathway to greater trust, and a significant point of faith formation all on its own. Our study found that people feel more connected, understood, and spiritually engaged when they are truly heard. Ministries that cultivate a culture of deep listening are not just rebuilding trust—they are fostering genuine faith formation in a world that craves authentic connection.

Click on the other tabs above to learn more or download the entire whitepaper below.

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Trust Has Not Disappeared—It Has Relocated

Listening Restores Trust and Deepens Faith

People trust those who listen. Our study found that 81% of adults and 74% of teenagers feel more connected to someone who listens without judgment. In contrast, nearly half say they withdraw from communities where they feel dismissed. Trust is no longer built through institutional authority—it grows through personal, meaningful conversations.

Listening does more than rebuild trust; it shapes faith itself. Two-thirds of participants reported that being truly heard deepened their faith more than sermons or religious instruction. When faith leaders prioritize listening, they create environments where people feel valued, understood, and spiritually engaged. In a world skeptical of institutions, listening is the most powerful act of ministry.

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Listening does more than build trust—it directly shapes faith. Our study found that 67% of teenagers and 66% of adults say their faith deepens when someone listens to them without judgment. In contrast, only 33% of teens and 34% of adults feel the same after hearing a sermon. The numbers make it clear: faith is formed through conversation, not just instruction.

For eight in ten participants, being heard played a key role in their most spiritually significant moments. Listening allows people to process doubts, name their experiences, and see how their faith connects to real life. It is not a passive act—it is a transformative one. When someone truly listens, they don’t just hear words; they create space for another person’s spiritual growth.

This impact is especially strong among young people. Nearly three-quarters of teenagers say they are more open to discussing faith when they feel listened to. But when they feel unheard, nearly half say they disengage entirely. This shift reveals a simple but profound truth: faith is not imposed—it emerges through relationships where people feel valued, seen, and understood.

For too long, religious leaders have focused on what to say. Our research suggests that the future of faith depends on how well we listen. Faith is not just something we teach—it is something we uncover together through sacred conversations.

Listening Is Not Just a Tool—It Is Faith Formation

How to Listen in a Way That Builds Faith

Good listening is not just about being quiet—it is about making people feel truly heard. Our research uncovered three core practices that help people open up and deepen their faith: relatability, reliability, and curiosity. These behaviors consistently build trust and foster spiritual connection.

Relatability: “I Get You.”

People share more when they sense understanding. Over 70% of respondents said that empathy and shared experiences help build trust. Simple acknowledgments—like recognizing doubt, struggle, or joy—signal that faith is not a performance but a lived experience.

Reliability: “You Can Count on Me.”

Trust is not built in a single conversation; it grows through consistency. Two-thirds of adults and teenagers said they feel more spiritually connected when someone remembers details from past conversations and follows up with care. Even a small check-in can reinforce a sense of belonging.

Curiosity: “I Value Your Story.”

The best listeners ask open-ended questions that encourage deeper reflection. More than 75% of adults and 65% of teenagers reported that thoughtful questions about faith and life challenges made them more likely to integrate spirituality into their daily lives. People do not need quick answers—they need space to explore their own.

Listening is not a passive skill; it is an active practice of making space for another’s faith to grow. When leaders and communities prioritize relatability, reliability, and curiosity, they create environments where trust is restored, faith is strengthened, and people feel deeply connected—to one another and to the divine.

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Sacred Listening: A Framework for Transforming Ministry

Listening is not just a practice—it is a foundation for ministry. Our research confirms that when people feel truly heard, their faith deepens, their trust grows, and their connection to community strengthens. But listening well is not just an individual skill; it requires a collective commitment. That is why we developed Sacred Listening Theory, a research-backed framework for integrating deep listening into ministry at every level.

Sacred Listening is built on three core principles:

Imago Dei: Every person is made in the image of God. Sacred Listening begins with full presence—setting aside distractions, turning off devices, and treating every conversation as a holy encounter.
Alignment: Listening is not just about hearing words but understanding the person’s unique experiences. This principle calls for meeting people where they are, empathizing with their challenges, and responding with care.
Pattern Recognition: Sacred Listening goes beyond individual moments. When ministries pay attention to recurring themes and struggles, they can respond in ways that foster deeper faith formation and community renewal.

Sacred Listening is scalable. It is not just for pastors or trained counselors—it is a tool that can be used by volunteers, small-group leaders, youth ministers, and entire congregations. Ministries that embrace Sacred Listening find that relational depth can flourish even in large communities.

Learn more about Sacred Listening Theory at www.futureoffaith.org/sacredlisteningtheory.

Download free Sacred Listening tools to implement in your ministry at www.futureoffaith.org/sacredlisteningtools.

By embedding Sacred Listening into daily ministry, leaders can move beyond transactional interactions and create spaces where people feel truly known, valued, and spiritually alive.

Research Methods for the Sacred Listening Study

This project began with background and desk research in July 2024. We worked with a group of national partners to determine mutual questions of interest around the intersection of listening and faith formation.

We surveyed 884 adults (22-55) and 1138 teenagers (13-19) and interviewed 20 people between the ages of 18-55 in fall 2024 for a margin of error of +/- 3%. Respondents were recruited through a national panel company for the survey and through User Interviews for qualitative research.

Data cleaning, analysis and reporting were conducted by the Future of Faith research team in early 2025.

Watch this conversation with Future of Faith Co-Founders to learn more about how this research project came to life

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Future of Faith Podcast

What actually moves the needle for people when it comes to faith? What strategies are shaping the future of ministry? Each episode of the Future of Faith Podcast brings together national research experts and ministry practitioners for real conversations about the cutting-edge data, trends, and insights that are reshaping faith communities today.

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Partners

We are very fortunate to have the support and enthusiasm of an outstanding group of national partners across the spectrum of Christianity behind this project. Each of these organizations is committed to creating and supporting a church that leans into relationships as a source of trust, vitality and connection.