In 2025, Ungdomsbarometern (Youth Barometer) published findings from a survey of 17,000 young Swedes conducted the previous year, in which respondents named "Jesus" as an influencer when predicting future trends.
"Young people's interest in religion has been bubbling away for a while, and 2025 seems to be the year when more people find a belief in a higher power, according to the young people themselves," the report said.
Since then, academic surveys such as those by the SOM Institute and church publications such as Svensk Pastoraltidskrift have examined whether the trend was a brief moment or a broader cultural shift.
Recent developments suggest the interest has continued.
Olof Edsinger, general secretary of the Swedish Evangelical Alliance, told Christian Daily International that he still sees it among younger Swedes.
"We still see a trend around Jesus and the Christian faith in the younger generation. Confirmation classes continue to attract a lot of young people, and several events for youth gather greater numbers than in previous years," Edsinger said.
He pointed to the Jesus Conference in Örebro, which drew more than 3,000 young adults to its annual one-day event on Oct. 11, 2025. The conference began in 2023 after three young men said they had a vision for the event. This year's conference is scheduled for Oct. 17 at Conventum Arena.
Philip Falk Azevedo, one of the co-organizers, told CBN News that he sees a "longing for Jesus" among people of his generation.
"There is such a longing, such a longing for Jesus. Within the young generation, people are hungry for the Word of God, and they want the truth," he said.
With the motto "More of Jesus, Less of Us," the event is developing into more than a single conference. Organizers are seeking to build a movement that brings the gospel into society and helps young people encounter Jesus personally.
Edsinger also pointed to interest in a new Swedish translation of the New Testament.
"A few days ago a new translation of the New Testament was published in Swedish, and while there is great interest in this from many generations, many youth seem to be buying their first Bible in relation to this," he said. "Already last year — before the new translation — we saw a significant increase in young people buying Bibles."
