For the vast majority of modern history, women have outnumbered men when it comes to who shows up most often at church. In fact, many scholars have come to see it as something of a universal truth. However, the latest research for Gen Z men and women shows that pattern has started to change.
As Ruth Graham describes, “For the first time in modern American history, young men are now more religious than their female peers. They attend services more often and are more likely to identify as religious.” And this trend appears to be unique to Gen Z since men are more likely than women to be religiously unaffiliated in every other generation. Now, the question experts are asking is, “Why?”
Part of the explanation is that women are simply leaving the church faster than men. A poll from earlier this year found that Gen Z men are only 11 percent less likely to be religiously affiliated than those in the Baby Boomer generation. However, the gap between women in those generations is nearly two-and-a-half times as large. Consequently, it appears that the issue has at least as much to do with more women leaving the church as it does with more men deciding to stay.
At the same time, Gen Z’s religious affiliation still represents a shift in the right direction from the millennials above them, who are the least religiously affiliated generation alive today.
So what has caused this shift, and more importantly, what can it teach us about sharing the gospel with both men and women in those younger generations?
#ChurchToo’s Continued Impact
As Graham points out, religious affiliation is one of many ways in which men and women are on different trajectories among young people today. For example, Gen Z women are:
- More educated than Gen Z men
- Earn a higher income in prominent cities like New York and Washington
- Less likely to say they want to become parents by a margin of 12 percentage points
- More likely to report feeling like they are treated unequally in most churches
And that last part is particularly important in explaining the gender gap in religious affiliation.
Many Gen Z women came of age during the #MeToo movement—and its religiously based cousin #ChurchToo. As such, some of their most formative years were spent hearing about the abuse and scandals perpetrated against women, far too often by leaders in the church. It is understandable that many would find it difficult to separate that kind of abuse from the faith of the abusers, even if drawing such a correlation overlooks the basic realities of who Jesus is and what the gospel is truly about.
Conversely, Gen Z men grew up among the same influences, though they often experienced those events differently.
Derek Rishmawy, who leads a ministry at the University of California, Irvine, points out that for some of the young men with whom he works, Christianity is seen as “one institution that isn’t initially and formally skeptical of them as a class.” He goes on to add that “We’re telling them, ‘you are meant to live a meaningful life’” at a time when that is not always the primary message they receive from the world around them.
As a result, many have come to see the church as a place where they can find community when that is not necessarily as available in the other areas of their lives.
But what is true for Gen Z men should be true for all people. To that end, let’s examine some steps we can take as both individual Christians and members of the body of Christ to help make it so.
How to Reach Gen Z
While Gen Z men and women may be heading in opposite directions when it comes to religious affiliation, one thing on which they agree is that their mental health is not in a good place. Forty-six percent of them listed mental health as the greatest concern for themselves and for their community. Relatedly, addiction checked in as their second biggest issue at 31 percent.
Considering that the church represents a source of mental health problems for a relatively large portion of Gen Z women, it makes sense that they might be more hesitant to attend and more willing to look outside of the Christian faith for answers. While God’s truth does not change with our experiences, our experiences often provide the lens through which we understand the Lord. As a result, one of the best ways we can reach out to young people, regardless of gender, is to make our communities of faith a place where they can feel welcome and safe.
Such efforts don’t mean always tailoring our services or beliefs to fit what they want. After all, the gospel needs to remain the gospel, and authenticity is one of the most important values Gen Z is looking for in both people and organizations. Yet there are still things we can do to make them feel wanted, and that’s a great place to start.
If your church has a large Gen Z population or is located in a younger part of your city or town, do you have a plan for reaching out to them? Are there life groups or Sunday School classes where they can feel at home? What ministries exist in your area that are aimed at reaching out to Gen Z, and can your church partner with them?
Beyond that, are there avenues for young people to get plugged into your church’s leadership or chances to serve that show you value what they bring to the table? Such efforts are especially important when it comes to reaching out to the young women who often feel as though they are less valued at church than in the other areas of their lives.
One of the reasons Jesus gained such a diverse and devoted following throughout his ministry is that his words and actions demonstrated how much he loved and valued the people who crossed his path. They felt accepted by him, even while he challenged their thoughts and confronted their sins.
As his ambassadors to the world around us, we need to do the same.
Will you?
*Denison Forum does not necessarily endorse the views expressed in these stories.
Quote of the Day
“We are either in the process of resisting God’s truth or in the process of being shaped and molded by his truth.” —Charles Stanley
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Design Pics
Published Date: October 4, 2024
Ryan Denison, PhD, is the Senior Editor for Theology at Denison Forum. Ryan writes The Daily Article every Friday and contributes writing and research to many of the ministry’s productions. He holds a PhD in church history from BH Carroll Theological Institute after having earned his MDiv at Truett Seminary. He’s authored The Path to Purpose, What Are My Spiritual Gifts?, How to Bless God by Blessing Others, 7 Deadly Sins, and has contributed writing or research to every Denison Forum book.
The views expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect those of CrosswalkHeadlines.
For more from the Denison Forum, please visit www.denisonforum.org.
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