One in six young people is practicing Christians, new figures show, as research suggests thousands convert after visiting church buildings. The figures show that more than one in five (21%) people between the ages of 11 and 18 describe themselves as active followers of Jesus, and 13% say they are practising Christians who attend church.

The study, commissioned by Christian youth organisation Hope Revolution Partnership and carried out by ComRes – a research consulatncy, suggested that levels of Christianity were much higher among young people than previously thought. Research carried out by church statistician Dr Peter Brierley in 2006 suggested church attendance among teenagers was less than half of this, with 6 percent of 11-14 year-olds and 5 percent of 15-18 year-olds attending church.

Around 13% of teenagers said that they decided to become a Christian after a visit to a church or cathedral, according to the figures.

The influence of a church building was more significant than attending a youth group, going to a wedding, or speaking to other Christians about their faith. But another study recently released by Christian group Youth for Christ showed similar results, suggesting that a surprisingly high number of young people still describe themselves as Christian.

The study suggests that new methods invested in by the Church, such as youth groups and courses such as Youth Alpha, are less effective than prayer or visiting a church building in attracting children to the church.

One in five said reading the Bible had been important, 17% said going to a religious school had had an impact and 14% said a spiritual experience was behind their Christianity.