Individual approaches needed to engage Gen Z for Christ

Young people in Gen Z have little interest in religious systems and institutions, but they crave acceptance and meaningful connections, a campus minister and a college pastor told a Texas Baptist gathering in Waco.

Megan Trotter, Baptist Student Ministry director at Tarleton State University, and Manny Silva, college pastor at Renew Church in Waco, participated in a conference on “Engaging Gen Z with the Gospel” during Texas Baptists’ annual meeting.

Jordan Villanueva, instructor in Christian studies at Howard Payne University and facilitator of the panel discussion, explained Generation Z typically is understood as the cohort of young people born between 1997 and 2012.

While senior adults traditionally have been considered “the loneliest generation,” that label now best describes young people in Gen Z, Trotter asserted.

“They are dating less. They are seeing friends less,” she said.

Digital natives who prefer online interaction

Many of them feel awkward in social settings where they need to relate to people in person, rather than online, Silva observed.

“The in-person dynamic is intimidating to them,” he said.

Gen Z grew up with smartphones, computers and high-speed wi-fi access to the internet.

“They haven’t known life without social media,” Silva said.

Consequently, they also have grown up with access to pornography and were exposed to it much earlier than previous generations, Trotter added. Some 20-year-old students who come to faith in Christ have to break 10-year habits of daily pornography use, she noted.

“They lost their innocence a lot earlier than the generations that have gone before,” she said.

Gen Z also is accustomed to instant access to information from a variety of sources.

“They are used to a rapid response and want immediate results,” Silva said.

As a result, they often struggle with decisiveness, he observed.

“There is so much access to information, they think there’s always another answer,” he said.

Paradoxically, Gen Z is both isolated and globally connected, Trotter observed.

“They have more in common with people their own age on the other side of the planet than they do with people who are not their age right where they live,” she said.

‘Cautious of what they step into’

That makes them more empathetic to other cultures and concerned about social issues at some level. But at the same time, they have a strong distrust of social systems, Trotter noted.

Many have been marked by a “doomsday” mentality that numbs them to tragedies such as school shootings, she said. Life experiences have led them to adopt a defeatist attitude when it comes to sweeping social movements.

“They value what they can control,” Trotter said. “They value individualism. They say they want to be true to themselves—whatever that means. They value their truth, not other truth.”

Many in Gen Z did not grow up in stable families or in a church. So, they are hungry for the family-style belonging churches and small groups may offer, but they distrust institutions.

“They are mindful and cautious of what they step into,” Silva said.

‘Gen Z values authenticity’

Before a member of Gen Z visits a church, he or she will have done some online research—not just a Google search, but a close look at posts on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, he added.

Since Gen Z values individualism, churches can use that to their advantage on social media if they emphasize people rather than programs, Trotter observed.

“The church is made up of individuals. Share the testimonies of individuals, and use pictures,” she suggested. “Tell who you are, not what you are doing. Emphasize human beings, not human doings.”

At the same time, don’t try to manipulate the church’s image by making it look more ethnically and generationally diverse that it really is.

“Gen Z values authenticity,” Trotter said.

Members of Gen Z favor a rough but real worship service led by honest amateurs over a polished production led by professionals, Trotter and Silva agreed.

Be patient and make lasting connections

Young people in Gen Z often don’t understand religious jargon and references to biblical stories or concepts, they added.

So, evangelism and discipleship with Gen Z requires patience, Silva said. At the same time, members of Gen Z are inquisitive about spiritual matters and open to talking about them at a deep level. Christians can plant gospel seeds if they invest time in young people.

Silva challenged Christians to open their homes to students in Gen Z, inviting them to share meals and family times, noting many are “missing that family dynamic.”

“Gen Z is receptive to faith-based conversations,” he said. “You’re working with good soil.”

Trotter agreed members of Gen Z thrive on individual connections, once adults have earned their trust.

“Many in Gen Z feel trapped in their isolation,” Trotter said. “They want to be accepted. They want to be mentored. Once you connect with them, they are easy to reach. Just don’t over-complicate the connection.”