post-christian

March 7, 2019

Why Fewer People Belong to Church Today: New Research Findings

We don’t need “change for change’s sake” just to appease the culture, but maybe the bathwater for the baby does need to be checked.
November 1, 2018

Is There Hope and a Future for Gen Z Youth with the Church?

Today we conclude our series of blogs on Gen Z culture (those born 1998-2015), asking this central question: based on all the emerging research on this new youth generation, will the church be able to reach them?  Twenty or more years from now when they are adults, bringing children into the world (if Jesus tarries), will the church be there or extinct?  Is there a hope and a future for them and the church? Using research from the Barna Group and Impact 360 Institute (their book, Gen Z, 103-106), we find that in some ways the church possesses opportunities to […]
October 17, 2018

Youth Ministry to Gen Z Teens: Are we Hitting the Mark?

In our continuing series, we’re reviewing research from the Barna Group and Impact 360 Institute over the trends emerging in the Gen Z culture (those born from 1998—2015).  Last time, we examined how a sizable number of parents felt ill-equipped to disciple their teen children, and how the church must disciple the parents in order to reach their children.  Today, we’re going to review research examining youth ministry to today’s Gen Z’ers.  Is it effective and impactful?  What can we learn? The authors and editors at Impact 360 Institute (their book, Gen Z) surveyed a number of parents and youth […]
October 4, 2018

Why are we losing more Gen Z males?

We have been exploring over the last number of blogs new research documenting the trends and moral preferences of the Gen Z youth culture (those born from 1998-2015).  We see that a sizable percentage of this new generation views the Christian Faith and absolute Truth (with a capital T) as out-of-date and unimportant.  While that thought alone is alarming, what really strikes close to home in my review of this generation’s trends is the larger percentage of Gen Z males (over females) that see little pertinence and relevance in Christianity, the church, and morality. Using the good resources from the […]
September 20, 2018

Gen Z, Church preferences, and influence: What turns them on and off

In our continuing series of blogs highlighting the characteristics of the new youth culture, Gen Z (those born from 1998-2015), we have previously outlined their views on identity, self-fulfillment, gender, worldview, and life goals.  Today, we’re going to peek at how they view the church and their participation in it.  What makes this striking is that their image of an exemplary church differs significantly from what is often seen in our world today, and ministry leaders and pastors better take notice of it. Using the excellent resources from Impact 360 Institute (the book Gen Z) and the Barna Group (their […]
September 7, 2018

Gen Z’s Sense of Identity, Life Aspirations and Goals: A Potential Ministry Path

We have been exploring over the last several weeks characteristics about the new youth culture known as Gen Z (born 1998 to 2015).  The oldest in this group are now in college, and they have a decisively different view of the world, themselves, their family, and the Faith.  Today, we’ll take a look at their sense of identity, life goals and what they deem as priorities for their own “life fulfillment.”  Knowing these trends can greatly help church leaders devise outreaches that can possibly attract them into their congregations for evangelism and discipleship. In their works, Gen Z and Barna […]
August 31, 2018

Gen Z and Their View of the Church: a Love/Hate Relationship

We have been exploring in a series of blogs what our new youth culture, Gen Z (born 1999 to 2015) thinks about life, God, the world, gender identity, and truth.  Today we take a few moments to see what they think about the Church.  There are positive things that Gen Z’ers see in the Church, but there are also deeply disturbing issues within them about the Church that should sound the alarm for any church leader seeking to reach and to disciple them in the gospel. I’m grateful for the resources from the Barna Group (their book Barna Trends 2018) and Impact […]
August 23, 2018

The Consequences from Parenting in a Gen Z Culture: Where has this taken our Youth?

In this rapidly changing, post-Christian culture, we are exploring in a series of blogs the world of the Gen Z (those born from 1999–2015), the earliest of which are now freshmen and sophomore students in college.  In this “screenage” population where deep anxiety, diversity, gender-confusion, and personal safety/security are top issues, how have their Gen X parents attempted to parent them through life? More importantly, how has this parenting affected the Gen Z worldview and what does this mean for evangelism and discipleship of Gen Z’ers? As with past blogs, I continue to highlight research from two primary “think-tanks” in […]
August 16, 2018

Sexuality and Personal Identity in a Gen Z World: Changing Perspectives

In the last several blogs, I highlighted a number of key findings on the new Gen Z population (those born from 1999-2015) dealing with this new youth culture’s worldviews, obsession with technology and social media, and understanding of relationships with a new meaning of “family.”  But nothing stands out greater in this new generation than their confusion over gender, sexuality, and personal identity.  In this environment where misunderstanding and perplexity abound, the Church must speak with clarity about sexuality, evangelize with compassion, and disciple with intentionality. Impact 360 Institute and the Barna Group’s research (the books Gen Z and Barna […]
August 7, 2018

Discipleship in a Gen Z “Anxiety Culture”: Key Realizations

In previous blogs, I have highlighted some important new research on the Gen Z population (those born between 1999-2015) given to us by the Barna Group and Impact 360 Institute. They paint the portrait of a new generation that struggles with their own identity, swims in an ocean of moral relativism powerfully influenced by social media and YouTube, and often hides behind devices (phones, tablets, etc.) rather than connect directly with others in interpersonal ways. Today, we look at another central element that defines this culture: ANXIETY and how the Church can disciple them. Gen Z “screenagers” have never felt […]