A New Generation is Leading the Way Back to God

In an article titled “Gen Z is Finding Religion. Why?” Christian Paz writes… For most of the last 30 years, the story of religion in America has been a pretty steady one: a constant, and consistent, drop in religious affiliation every year. Starting in the 1990s, the share of Americans who identified as Christian, or identified with any religion at all, began to drop precipitously. At the same time, those with no religious affiliation — nicknamed “nones” — began to spike.

It appears that trend might be ending. Over the last five years, the share of Americans who are “nones” has stabilized at roughly 30 percent, across multiple tracking surveys — largely because of one group: Zoomers, or Generation Z. Sometime around or after the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, young Americans began to find, or at least retain, religious belief at higher rates than previous generations.

Gen Z seems to be the key. Recently, surveys have found that Zoomers are the only generation not losing their religious affiliation. Why? There’s no unifying explanation for this trend, but it extends beyond the United States. And that suggests that there might be some structural reasons Gen Z is rediscovering faith. Something about post-Covid seems to be bringing youth back specifically to Christianity…There are three potential explanations:

1. Loneliness: Gen Z seeks community and connection in faith to combat widespread feelings of isolation.

2. Distrust of Institutions: Turning to Christianity as a countercultural response to declining trust in government and mainstream culture.

3. Political and Social Shifts: Young men are becoming more religious, especially focused on Christianity and political conservatism.

And I would add a fourth…

4. Gen Z is hungry for truth. Contrary to what previous generations may have assumed, many are not skeptical of the Bible, the Church, or Christianity. In fact, many are searching for something they can believe in—something solid enough to build their lives upon.

Postmodernism, with its rejection of absolute truth, has left a generation standing on a shallow and shaky foundation. The promise that truth is relative and that everyone can simply create their own reality has proven to be bankrupt. It has failed to provide the common sense, moral clarity, and biblical answers that people need to navigate life, marriage, family, suffering, and the future. And that is why this moment presents such an incredible opportunity for the Church.

It has been since the Baby Boomers—my generation—that we have seen this kind of renewed interest in God, the Church, and Christianity. We are witnessing it right here in our own congregation.

We should rejoice! But we must also recognize the responsibility that comes with this opportunity. If people are searching for anchors, then the Church must be a place where anchors for the soul are the norm. We must be a people who know the truth, believe the truth, live the truth, and lovingly proclaim the truth. When people walk through these doors, they should encounter the love of God. But they should also discover something this world desperately needs… solid ground. They should discover that God's Word is trustworthy, that His truth does not shift with the culture, and that Jesus Christ is not merely another option among many—but the solid Rock upon which their lives can be built. The world has given this generation shifting sands. The Church must point them to the Rock.

And remember, God is always trying to take us someplace new. I love being your Pastor!

For God’s Glory Alone,

Pastor Ray

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