By Stephen Cutchins for THE CHRISTIAN POST
Despite declining church attendance, 77% of Gen Z is open to learning about Jesus. The Church has an opportunity — if it is ready to change its approach to engagement.
A generation searching for more
Lena sat in church every Sunday. She knew the Bible stories. She went to a youth group. But deep down, she wondered, “Does any of this really matter?”
By college, she left. She never saw how faith mattered.
Lena is not alone. Millions of young people feel the same way. Yet, they are not rejecting Jesus. According to Barna’s Gen Z Vol. 3 research, 77% of teens say they are at least somewhat motivated to learn about Jesus, with 52% reporting they are very motivated. Only 20% of teenagers said they were unmotivated to learn about Jesus, while 7% were unsure.
This is not just a Gen Z trend. A 2022 survey of 2,000 U.S. adults found that 77% believe in a higher power, and 74% want to grow spiritually. The problem is not that young people aren’t interested in faith. The problem is that the Church isn’t engaging them in ways that feel relevant, real and transformative.
