Gen Z

“We know that the world we’re living in is falling apart. We know that the digital age we were born into isn’t working. And so we long. We’re nostalgic for eras that we truly know nothing about because we’re convinced that somewhere, left behind in the ’80s and ’90s, is the thing we’re missing.” - TGC

“The early church didn’t grow because it had better content than the Romans. It grew because people watched Christians live in ways that made no sense unless they were real.” - Phil Cooke

“This confluence of eroding trust, a sense of powerlessness, exposure to intense suffering of others, and desensitization to political violence leaves Gen Z looking for judgment—and justice. My students know all too well that bad things happen to good people. They want to know when bad people will get what they deserve.” - CToday

“The average Gen-Z female is now 30 percentage points more liberal than the average Gen-Z male. Moreover, males are 13 percentage points more likely than females to say religion is ‘very important’ in their lives.” - TGC

“Since 1950, the average age at first marriage has increased by about eight years, to roughly age 28 for women and 30 for men. Most Gen Z (81%) value marriage but are rethinking family.” - Barna Research

“Women have long been more religious than men. But a new study finds the gap closing as more young women under 30 identify as ‘none’ — unaffiliated.” - RNS

Review: ‘Why We’re Feeling Lonely’ by Shelby AbbottAbbott - TGC

“How are pastors, especially those who work with children and teenagers, supposed to minister in such a pivotal moment in American history? We must first accept a hard truth: We cannot continue to do children’s and youth ministry as we’ve done them and expect different results from today.” - TGC

“Gallup found U.S. alcohol consumption has fallen to a record-low 54% of adults, the lowest level since Gallup began tracking in 1939. Meanwhile, public health warnings have gotten harder to ignore.” - Relevant

“43% of this generation born roughly between 1996 and 2012 identify as religious ‘nones.’ … these Zoomers are looking for meaning and willing to reconsider religion. Specifically, though these trends may not be large enough to be captured in statistics, there seems to be a growing interest in more rigorous forms of faith.” - Breakpoint