+34 from 2024
182
respondents — growing each year
(148 in 2024, 167 in 2025)
(148 in 2024, 167 in 2025)
up from 80%
84%
say their relationship with God
has grown in the last year
has grown in the last year
91%
say preaching deepens their
understanding of the Bible
understanding of the Bible
92%
feel safe at Northgate Church
three-year high
three-year high
up from 69%
76%
attend weekly in person
steady growth across three years
steady growth across three years
up from 26%
35%
are mentoring someone
in their faith journey
in their faith journey
01
Who Responded
Gender
Slightly more balanced than previous years
Age Groups
Relationship Status
Length of Attendance
Less than 1 year
14%
1–4 years
32%
5–9 years
18%
10–14 years
9%
15+ years
27%
02
Three-Year Trends: Faith & Spiritual Growth
% who agree or strongly agree, of those who answered each question.
| Question | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| My relationship with God has grown | 80% | 81% | 84% | ↑ |
| My faith is connected to all of life | 87% | 85% | 88% | ↑ |
| Dependent on the Holy Spirit daily | 71% | 74% | 73% | → |
| Aware of my spiritual gifts | 74% | 78% | 76% | ↑ |
| Confident to use my gifts | 62% | 65% | 67% | ↑ |
| Regular prayer & Bible time | 69% | 71% | 76% | ↑↑ |
| Living out God's calling on my life | 63% | 68% | 68% | ↑ |
Regular prayer and Bible time (+7pp to 76%) is the biggest mover in three years, suggesting discipleship programming is landing. Gift confidence, while growing, remains the lowest item on the list.
03
Three-Year Trends: Church Experience
| Question | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northgate deepens my faith | 85% | 86% | 89% | ↑ |
| Worship connects me with God | 81% | 83% | 85% | ↑ |
| Preaching deepens Bible understanding | 89% | 90% | 91% | ↑ |
| I feel I belong at Northgate | 76% | 74% | 78% | ↑ |
| I feel safe at Northgate | 91% | 90% | 92% | ↑ |
| Well informed & communicated to | 84% | 87% | 88% | ↑ |
| Opportunities to serve | 82% | 80% | 87% | ↑↑ |
| Excited about the future of Northgate | 84% | 82% | 86% | ↑ |
Safety (92%), preaching (91%) and opportunities to serve (87%) are the three highest-rated items across the survey. Belonging (78%) is improving but remains the item with the most headroom — and the strongest correlation to small group participation.
04
Evangelism
Evangelism confidence has grown, supported by Christianity Explored and a third consecutive year of Alpha.
| Question | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Confident to share my faith | 63% | 62% | 69% | ↑↑ |
| Comfortable knowing how to lead someone to Christ | n/a | 58% | 60% | ↑ |
| Actively pursue opportunities to share faith | 41% | 39% | 44% | ↑ |
| Mentoring someone in their faith journey | 26% | 28% | 35% | ↑↑ |
| Led someone to Christ in the last 12 months | n/a | 10% | 11% | ↑ |
69% feel confident to share their faith — but only 44% actively pursue opportunities. The gap between confidence and action is the key challenge.
Gender difference: Women mentor more than men (40% vs 28%). Men are slightly more confident sharing faith (72% vs 67%) but less likely to act on it in a mentoring relationship. The 11% who led someone to Christ represents approximately 20 people.
05
Small Groups
2024 Participation
52%
77 of 148 respondents
2025 Participation
58%
97 of 167 respondents
2026 Participation
62%
113 of 182 — 69 not connected
% in a small group by age (2026)
% in a small group by tenure (2026)
Impact of small group membership (2026)
| Question | In SG | Not in SG | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Relationship with God grown | 92% | 72% | +20% |
| Feel I belong | 88% | 60% | +28% |
| Faith connected to all of life | 93% | 79% | +14% |
| Mentoring someone | 44% | 20% | +24% |
| Confident to share faith | 76% | 57% | +19% |
The belonging gap between those in and out of small groups is 28 percentage points — the largest correlation in the entire dataset. For Northgate, small group participation is not just a programme option; it is the primary pathway to feeling connected.
Meeting frequency (of those in a small group)
24% weekly
62% fortnightly
11% monthly
Why people are not in a small group (42 responses)
Work / scheduling conflicts
Can't find a group that fits
Didn't know how to join
Young children / no childcare
Still new, getting settled
"It's hard to know where to start if you're new. I was here for six months before anyone helped me find a small group."
"Would love a daytime option — evenings are impossible with young kids and shift work."
"I've asked twice about joining a group and never heard back. Not sure if there's room or who to speak to."
06
Service Attendance
In-person frequency
| Frequency | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly | 69% | 72% | 76% |
| Fortnightly | 18% | 16% | 14% |
| Monthly | 8% | 7% | 6% |
| Less than monthly | 3% | 3% | 2% |
| Never | 2% | 2% | 2% |
Online frequency
| Frequency | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly | 5% | 5% | 4% |
| Fortnightly | 12% | 10% | 8% |
| Monthly | 9% | 9% | 9% |
| Less than monthly | 56% | 54% | 55% |
| Never | 18% | 20% | 24% |
Weekly in-person attendance has grown steadily from 69% to 76% over three years. The rise in 'never online' (18%→24%) suggests the in-person culture is strengthening. Those who attend less frequently are not disengaged — they score nearly as high on key belonging and faith metrics.
07
Volunteering & Giving
Volunteering
Volunteer at Northgate
61%
111 of 182 respondents
Of those who volunteer, 91% say it helps them feel connected to the church. The belonging gap between volunteers (87%) and non-volunteers (65%) is 22 percentage points — among the strongest correlations in the dataset. Getting people serving is getting people connected.
Giving (agree they give to Northgate)
2024
74%
2025
72%
2026
73%
Giving engagement has been essentially flat across three years. With growth in almost every other metric, this is worth deliberate attention if generosity is a discipleship priority.
08
Family & Relationships
Community support by relationship status
| Group | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marriage support | 74% | 76% | 75% → |
| Single support | 55% | 58% | 57% → |
| Family support | 82% | 80% | 82% → |
Single support (57%) has remained consistently 15–18 points below family support for three years and shows no upward trend. This gap is also reflected in open-ended feedback.
Children's programs satisfaction (relevant parents only)
| Program | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creche & kinder (0–4) | 92% | 90% | 88% → |
| Kids (5–11) | 64% | 68% | 73% ↑ |
| Youth (12–18) | 68% | 71% | 73% ↑ |
Kids and youth programs improving year-on-year. Creche/kinder slight downward trend — worth monitoring and discussing directly with the team.
09
Age Group Analysis
25–34 year olds score lowest on belonging, spiritual growth, and small group participation — despite this being an age group the church has actively invested in. This is the most significant age-gap finding in the data.
| Question | 18–24 | 25–34 | 35–49 | 50–64 | 65–74 | 75+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| God relationship grown | 96% | 79% | 82% | 88% | 91% | 90% |
| Regular prayer & Bible time | 84% | 72% | 74% | 83% | 90% | 88% |
| Feel I belong | 88% | 73% | 80% | 83% | 87% | 82% |
| In a small group | 71% | 52% | 60% | 68% | 70% | 56% |
18–24 figures based on 15 respondents — treat as directional.
25–34 year olds: in a small group vs not
In a small group (14 people)
| God relationship grown | 91% |
| Feel I belong | 87% |
| Mentoring someone | 43% |
Not in a small group (12 people)
| God relationship grown | 64% |
| Feel I belong | 55% |
| Mentoring someone | 17% |
25–34s in a small group score at or above the congregational average on every metric. The challenge is not this life stage — it's that nearly half are unconnected. Small group access (not more programming) is the lever.
Year-on-year: how 25–34s changed from 2025 to 2026
Based on 28 respondents (2025) and 26 respondents (2026). Despite targeted investment in young adult ministry, this cohort's belonging and faith metrics have not improved year-on-year.
Improving ↑
| Metric | 2025 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| In a small group | 44% | 52% | +8pp |
| Confident to share faith | 58% | 65% | +7pp |
| Regular prayer & Bible time | 67% | 72% | +5pp |
| Excited about the future | 78% | 82% | +4pp |
Not improving ↓
| Metric | 2025 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Relationship with God grown | 81% | 79% | –2pp |
| Feel I belong | 75% | 73% | –2pp |
| Faith connected to all of life | 84% | 81% | –3pp |
| Church deepens faith | 86% | 83% | –3pp |
This cohort is becoming more confident and more connected to small groups — but their core sense of belonging and spiritual nourishment is not tracking with that engagement. The data suggests the investment is reaching them, but something in the relational experience is still not landing. Qualitative follow-up with this group is warranted before drawing conclusions.
10
Spiritual Practices
% of all respondents who engage regularly (choose all that apply). 2025 vs 2026.
Silence (+7pp) and Journaling (+7pp) are the standout rises, mirroring a broader pattern in church health data of growing appetite for contemplative practice. Prayer (+4pp) and Bible Reading (+6pp) are also moving meaningfully upward.
11
Correlations: What Drives Engagement
Cross-tabulations comparing groups within 2026 data to identify which factors are most associated with stronger spiritual health and connection.
1. Volunteers vs non-volunteers
| Question | Volunteers (111) | Non-volunteers (64) | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel I belong | 87% | 65% | +22% |
| Mentoring someone | 44% | 19% | +25% |
| Relationship with God grown | 90% | 73% | +17% |
| Church deepens faith | 92% | 81% | +11% |
Serving is not just contribution — it is the fastest pathway to belonging, growth, and active faith for many people in the congregation.
2. New members (1–4 yrs) vs established (15+ yrs)
| Question | 1–4 years (58) | 15+ years (49) | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel I belong | 69% | 90% | –21% |
| Relationship with God grown | 80% | 94% | –14% |
| Mentoring someone | 34% | 48% | –14% |
| Excited about the future | 88% | 84% | +4% |
New members are less rooted but equally or more excited (+4%). The 21-point belonging gap is the highest it has been — connecting newer members more quickly is the highest-leverage opportunity in the data.
3. Weekly vs less-than-weekly in-person attenders
| Question | Weekly (138) | Less frequent (37) | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Relationship with God grown | 87% | 76% | +11% |
| Church deepens faith | 91% | 84% | +7% |
| Feel I belong | 80% | 70% | +10% |
| Excited about the future | 88% | 80% | +8% |
Less frequent attenders are genuinely less connected across most metrics — unlike many churches where attendance frequency has little bearing on engagement. This suggests in-person rhythms are particularly important at Northgate.
12
Open-Ended Feedback
143 positive responses. 121 opportunity responses.
What People Value Most
1
Preaching & teaching — most frequently mentioned. Biblical depth, practical application, range across the teaching team.
2
Welcome & warmth — genuine friendliness, feeling seen when you arrive.
3
Kids & youth programs — repeatedly described as a reason families stay.
4
Worship — musically strong, spiritually engaging.
5
Alpha — specifically mentioned as a highlight and entry point for faith.
6
Community service — food bank, refugee support; people proud of the church's local presence.
Where People Want More
1
Small groups — most mentioned. Clearer join pathway, more daytime options, childcare support.
2
Young adults — post-school transition, loneliness, need for community beyond Sunday.
3
Singles & divorced — church feels designed for couples and families.
4
Pastoral follow-up — "you can get lost" as the church grows.
5
Discipleship pathways — wanting more than Sunday; deeper formation courses.
6
New member integration — unclear how to move from visitor to belonging.
In their own words: what people value
"The teaching is consistently excellent — it challenges me intellectually while also being deeply practical. I find myself thinking about Sunday's sermon for the whole week."
"I hear constantly from others who are newer to the church that they find us to be a really welcoming and warm community. I had the same experience when I first joined and is why I stayed."
"The kids' program is the reason we came back a second time. Our children actually ask to come to church, which says everything."
"Alpha genuinely changed my life. I came in sceptical and left with my faith completely renewed. I've now brought three friends through it."
"The way this church responds to community needs — the food bank, the support for refugee families — I feel proud to be part of it."
"I'm brand new — just two months in — but I've already been welcomed into a small group and made real friends. It's rare to find this in a church."
In their own words: where they want more
"It's hard to know where to start if you're new. I was here for six months before anyone helped me find a small group. A clearer pathway at the front end would make a huge difference."
"More events and spaces for young adults who aren't married yet. Everything seems to be designed for families, which is great — but it can feel like there's no place for the rest of us."
"I'd love to see a pathway for people who want to go deeper — a discipleship course or something more intentional than just Sunday services."
"As a divorced person in their 50s, I often feel like I don't fit any of the obvious categories here. The church is warm but it assumes coupledom."
"More pastoral follow-up for people who are clearly going through hard things. You can tell someone is struggling and nothing happens for weeks."
"Would love a daytime small group option — evenings are impossible with young kids and shift work. I've wanted to join for two years but the timing never works."
"Small groups are the heart of this church but they're hard to get into if you're new. A waiting list with no follow-up is not a join pathway."
"Young adults need more support and activities aimed at them. The year after leaving school is when so many people fall away, and I don't think we're catching them."
"We've been attending for almost a year and are very happy overall — but we've never been personally invited into anything. It's a bit like the church is waiting for us to take every step."
13
Planning Implications for 2026–27
Priority 01
New Member Integration
The 21-point belonging gap between 1–4 year members and established members is the largest it has been. Known barriers: unclear pathways, no proactive outreach, waiting lists with no follow-through. A structured 90-day integration pathway — connecting new people to serving and small groups — is the highest-leverage investment available.
Priority 02
Small Group Supply & Access
62% in small groups is a genuine strength — but the 28-point belonging gap for those outside groups means the 38% not connected are experiencing a substantially different church. Known barriers: evening timing, no childcare, unclear join process. Daytime options and a clearer public pathway are the most cited needs.
Priority 03
25–34 Year Olds
Targeted investment in this cohort is reaching them — small group participation is up — but their belonging and faith metrics are not moving. Qualitative follow-up is needed before adding more programming. The question is not how to get them there; it's what they experience when they arrive.
Priority 04
Evangelism: From Confidence to Action
69% confident but only 44% actively sharing. Practical training in how to have conversations — not more inspiration about why evangelism matters — is the next investment. Mentoring (+9pp to 35%) shows organic momentum worth supporting with a simple structure.
Priority 05
Singles & Life-Stage Gaps
A consistent voice across three years: singles, divorced, widowed, post-school young adults. The single support gap (57% vs 75% for families) has not moved in three years. Low-cost to address with intentional programming and more inclusive language in Sunday services.
Also Note
Two items to monitor
Giving has been flat at 72–74% for three years — unchanged despite growth everywhere else. Worth deliberate attention if generosity is a discipleship goal.
Creche & kinder satisfaction has declined slightly across three years (92%→88%). Small sample, but directional. Worth a direct conversation with the team.
Creche & kinder satisfaction has declined slightly across three years (92%→88%). Small sample, but directional. Worth a direct conversation with the team.
Data: SurveyMonkey exports 2024–2026. | Report prepared May 2026. | Sample report — all data is illustrative. | To print as PDF: File → Print → Save as PDF.