Whenever there is change, people, organizations, and especially churches can be slow to respond to it. Currently, one such change is happening in the church. There is a cultural shift occurring in the way Gen Z (those born between 1997 and 2012) sees church and those in the church. Honestly, if the church does not pay attention, Gen Z will become Gen no longer in the building. It is not because they have left the faith, or even left the Lord, but they are looking for something more and something genuine that truly reflects faith in Christ. They are seeking faith the moves from beyond the sanctuary of the church and is more than just lip service. They want to see authentic Christian living that is reflected in everyday life.
In an article by Relevant Magazine, this is part of how they describe Gen Z:
“The world as they know it is naturally full of people of different races, sexual orientations, immigration statuses, genders, and religious beliefs. They’re connected to these people online, and they expect to see that reflected IRL (in real life).”
If you are part of an older generation, whether you like this description, or even agree with it, this has been the reality that Gen Z has grown up with. Now that they are old enough to make their voices heard, maybe it is time that we who are older start listening. Gen Z has the potential to redefine the church, and for much of what they are desiring, some of them are changes the church needs to consider.
Here are some ways Gen Z is redefining the church:
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1. A desire for authentic worship.
1. A desire for authentic worship.
For many churches, worship has become a spectator sport. Churches will often seek the best singers and most talented musicians and let them lead the way in singing and engaging the congregation in worship. However, worship was never meant to be exercised in this way. It is supposed to be a corporate experience that allows everyone who desires the ability to connect with God intimately. This is the type of authentic worship that Gen Z desires. Worship in this fashion is not so much about the style of music, but the genuine opportunity to connect their heart with the living God.
2. Creativity in worship.
Coupled with the need for authentic worship, there is the need for creative expressions within the worship experience. For many in the Gen Z community, worship is not just reserved for Sunday morning. In addition, there are different ways you can offer your worship to the Lord. You can worship God through dance, spoken word, art, or other creative expressions. Instead of seeing them as inappropriate or separate from the corporate worship service, there is a desire to incorporate them into the service. Many who are more traditional or conservative can sometimes fall into the trap of thinking there is only one way worship can happen, and for them, this is not it. Unfortunately, churches that hold that point of view will not be attractive for those who are in Gen Z.
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3. Embracing technology.
3. Embracing technology.
It used to be if you weren’t in the building on Sunday, then you could not be part of the Sunday morning service. If you couldn’t make it, then someone could always bring you the cassette recording of the sermon from that Sunday (most Gen Z’s have no idea what I am talking about). Church is no longer relegated to those inside the sanctuary and Gen Z knows this. They welcome and encourage the use of social media, apps, streaming and other methods to share the gospel with others. For some people, not only is this an important way to share the gospel, but it may also be the best way to reach them.
4. Welcoming doubts and questions.
Somewhere in the church annals (not sure when this happened), having doubts and asking questions became shameful. To ask meant you were not sure of your faith, or maybe not even saved at all. Somehow, we missed the amount of questions the disciples asked Jesus. Gen Z is different. They believe everyone has doubts and questions in their journey with Jesus. The difference is Gen Z is not afraid to ask them out loud and neither should we. For Gen Z, it is necessary for people to express their struggles with faith and theological questions without fear of judgment, condemnation, or being ostracized. Gen Z is correct in this area, and I believe the church should welcome this change wholeheartedly.
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5. Requiring humble leaders who practice what they preach.
5. Requiring humble leaders who practice what they preach.
For Gen Z, what you say matters, but how you live matters more (sounds a lot like Jesus to me). With this generation, hypocrisy is simply not acceptable. They want servant leaders whose lives off the platform match what they say on the platform. Sadly, we have seen far too many examples of leaders who say one thing publicly, but live another reality privately. Gen Z rejects that, and we should, too. Gen Z is not looking for perfect leaders, but authentic ones, who are humble enough to admit they struggle too. This makes their leaders humble, approachable, and ones who can identify with the realities they face every day.
6. Engaging with social issues.
There have always been social issues in our society. Unfortunately, in the church, we either reject these issues or we create environments where people can only have one opinion about them. There is no room given for different thoughts on a topic. Gen Z cares about bringing these things to the forefront and welcomes open discussion about them. They see this as part of living out their faith in the culture. Gen Z is not interested in living in a Christian bubble waiting for Jesus to return. They want to get outside the walls of the church and engage those around them with the life found in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Issues like racial justice, abuse, mental health, the treatment of immigrants, how we treat the poor, and others matter to this generation. By the way, they should because they mattered to Jesus too. Gen Z is not afraid to have these conversations because they see the problem and want to confront it head on. Also, as we described earlier, they are friends and in contact with many people who are dealing with these issues.
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7. They don’t want bigger churches, but deeper connections.
7. They don’t want bigger churches, but deeper connections.
For Gen Z, especially in a church setting, relationships matter. In the years when the mega-church model became popular, many people could come to church and hide. They could be in the building but never engage with anyone because, many times, no one even knew they were there. When you hear the cry of the heart of the Gen Z Christian, it all goes back to building authentic relationships. This group may welcome smaller groups, which can help build deeper connections. These kinds of relational ties keep them connected to the church and their faith and challenge them to go deeper in their walk with Jesus.
8. The LGBTQ+ challenge.
The LGBTQ+ issue is one the church has been wrestling with for quite some time now. While there is a Biblical position on this issue, in the eyes of Gen Z, this message has often been communicated without grace and without compassion. It is also possible Gen Z may see people in this community differently because many of them are classmates and work colleagues. While this is and will remain a delicate issue because it is more prevalent, I don’t believe Gen Z disagrees with scripture. They are looking for the church to take a different approach to how they address people who identify in this community.
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9. Breaking down denominational walls.
9. Breaking down denominational walls.
I was having a conversation with a friend recently, and denominations came up. Here is how he defined denominations. “One group having a viewpoint that their understanding of the truth is better than someone else’s.” Gen Z will reject this type of thinking. For Gen Z, denominations don’t matter. If we are all serving and worshipping the same Jesus, then why does it matter what denomination you belong to?
10. A need for biblical literacy.
For Gen Z, studying the Bible is not just about acquiring knowledge. It is about the practical application of that knowledge and how it translates to their daily lives. It is more than just breaking down the Greek or the Hebrew, but how do you make scripture relevant to your life? If you think about how Jesus taught, he told stories and spoke in ways that the people he was teaching could understand. This is what Gen Z desires. Teaching that goes beyond the surface, that is practical, that is accurate, that gives them a deeper understanding of scripture, and that works to transform their hearts and lives.
11. A personal faith.
Gen Z does not reject tradition, but there must be a connection between the tradition and how it relates to their personal relationship with God. That’s because they want a faith that is expressed publicly, but that flows from a personal relationship. That’s why they may reject tradition if they can’t see the connection. However, when that connection is clear, they will embrace the tradition, but when it is not, then traditions can feel hollow.
As you can see, Gen Z has a lot to say, and with a lot of it, they are correct. With any generation, the desire should be to bridge the gaps because they will be the ones to carry the message of the gospel forward. This means we must pay attention to how we build this bridge. The methods may look different than previous generations, but we must reach the point where we acknowledge that is okay. Do you want young people on fire for Jesus, even if it looks a little different? For me, that is a tradeoff that is absolutely worth it.
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Originally published January 28, 2025.
