Young Christians: spreading activism and faith in their media relations

Abstract

This paper aims to present and compare the characteristics, practices, evangelization strategies, and communication dynamics of four Christian youth movements operating in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil: Curso de Liderança Juvenil (CLJ), Sociedade dos Guelfos, Força Jovem Universal Gaúcha (FJU Gaúcha), and Jovens Encontros de Fé. The study adopts an exploratory approach based on a literature review on youth, religion, and media, combined with the collection and systematization of information available on the movements’ social media platforms, institutional websites, and communication materials. Through this set of sources, similarities and differences among the groups were identified regarding organizational structures, religious practices, social actions, youth formation processes, and communication strategies aimed at young audiences. The findings indicate that all four movements share the goal of strengthening young people’s engagement with religious experiences and community life, although they employ distinct languages, methodologies, and symbolic repertoires. While some groups emphasize tradition, spirituality, and religious formation, others invest more heavily in social action, entertainment, music, and cultural activities as forms of evangelization. The study also highlights the central role of digital media in disseminating activities, building collective identities, and fostering connections between religious institutions and contemporary youth. It concludes that these movements reveal diverse ways of experiencing Christian faith today, reflecting the plurality of religious youth experiences and their adaptation to contemporary communication dynamics.