During month one of my very first ministry role, I knew almost nothing.
I was 19, a transplant to Chicagoland, and a fresh Bible college drop out. Everything I expected for my life came to a screeching halt, and the only thing I felt like I had was a burden on my heart to see the next generation know and love Jesus.
For the past two years (yup, I’m 21), I’ve worked in kids and student ministries at Community Christian Church. Immersed in all things next gen, I’ve had a lot of time to figure out who they are, what they want, and what draws them in. I often hear senior pastors theorizing on why the next gen does or does not flock to church. They start asking: Is it branding? Active social media accounts? Trendy programming? Is this all that Gen Z cares about!?
These assumptions aren’t completely misguided. But they’re incomplete.
Here’s my biggest conviction regarding Gen Z: They’re hungry. No matter who you survey, you’ll see it. Hunger, desperation, desire. The question is not if they’re hungry. It’s what they’re being fed… and what the church is offering in response.
So let me ask you a question. What’s your favorite food? (Stay with me here.)
As someone who’d struggle to provide only one answer, I’ll give you two: French fries and steak.
When I want something temporarily satisfying, and when I’m (choosing to be blissfully) ignorant about what I’m putting into my body, I choose the fries. Every single time. Ordering fries as a side has become one of those knee-jerk reflexes of mine. They’re predictable, and so momentarily good that I forget how regretful I feel afterward.
Then there’s steak. Man. I choose steak when I’m mindful about what I’m eating, when I’m trying to build muscle and stamina, if I want to be sustained, and because it’s obviously the best thing for me. However, if someone were to offer me a steak, I’d probably hesitate to take it, knowing just how expensive and valuable this offering was.
This is where the tension shows up for the next generation. Some are reaching for the fries – whatever offers quick satisfaction – unaware it will leave them searching for more. Others have learned that depth and nourishment matter more than convenience. But underneath it all, they’re still hungry.
So, what does that mean for the church?
It means we cannot keep offering what is quick, easy, or surface level! That’s not how lasting faith is formed. What the next gen needs is not more fries – not more surface-level engagement, performative spirituality, or leaders who only talk about Jesus to fulfill a role description. They need leaders who emulate the life of Jesus. Leaders who walk with them, invite them in, challenge them, and are honest regardless of what it might cost them.
This kind of formation requires patience. It unfolds slowly, often without visible results. But it’s precisely this slow, relational investment that equips them to carry a life-sustaining faith into a world that desperately needs it. The next generation is hungry for authenticity, investment, and belonging. And it’s our job to offer something that nourishes.
Don’t just take my word for it. I surveyed young adults, teens, and emerging leaders and asked a simple question: What do you actually need from the church and church leadership right now?
The answers were not centered around production quality, branding, or innovation strategy. They were deeply spiritual. Deeply relational. And if I’m honest, they were deeply convicting for those of us in leadership. Here’s what they said:
- “I wish pastors would be more of an open book… We need to hear true raw experiences because that’s what resonates to teens, young adults, and even older adults.”
- “I want to hear that my pastor is actively seeking the Lord and listening to His voice… I wish they were more transparent with their humanity.”
- “I need someone to walk me through becoming a better leader.”
- “When I look for a church, I look to be fed truth and to find community.”
If you read those and felt a mix of encouragement and pressure, you’re not alone. Now’s the time to take a deep breath.
I know your plate is full. I know adding another thing to your to-do list can feel impossible. Here’s the good news: You’re not alone. This is not about reinventing the church or the systems you already have in place. It’s about returning to something we were always meant to be. And the best news yet – you have Jesus as an example and a Father who will carry the burden for you.
When you look at the life of Jesus, most of His ministry didn’t happen in temples or in front of crowds. Yes, He taught the masses. But He formed people around dinner tables, on long walks in private conversations, and in moments that we quickly overlook. He ate with people while asking questions, listening, correcting, and encouraging. He invited people into His everyday rhythms. Jesus didn’t just preach transformation – He modeled it in proximity. Gen Z is looking for leaders who are willing to be close enough to help shape their lives.
So, how can that look for you as a church leader? I have ideas. Small, medium, and large perspective shifts to help you reach the next generation. Chew on them for a while. Pray. Then implement the small things first. Let’s take steps together. Ready? Set. Go.
Start With Access
In many churches, senior leaders are unintentionally distant. Not because they don’t care – but because leadership is busy! Whether you’re preparing the coffee, setting up rooms, leading teams, or preaching the message, not many people see all that goes into what people experience on Sunday. I get it. I see you. But to a young leader or attender, distance can feel like disinterest. And trust me – they’re watching for you.
Most young people don’t expect unlimited time with you. But having access (a.k.a. presence) matters more than we think. What if you try this:
- Walk around the lobby before service. Don’t get stuck in the green room. Try to have as many quick interactions with as many people as you can. It takes 30-90 seconds to make someone feel seen.
- Who is sitting alone in the auditorium well before it fills up? A quick glance, a bold hello, and availability to see the person makes all the difference.
- After service, check out the first-time attender spot. Say hi, ask their name, see why they checked it out, and make yourself available if they have questions. They’ll most likely come back next week.
- Who’s the young person on staff that you don’t really know? Get a coffee with them. Make space for conversation that isn’t tied to performance or productivity. Help them feel known.
You don’t have to be everywhere all the time. But being intentionally visible communicates something powerful: You matter enough for me to slow down.
Your Table Is Your New Discipleship Tool
You don’t need a program to disciple Gen Z. You just need a table and a question. Don’t let your lack of hosting skills, need for perfection, or unpolished devotion hold you back. You have what they need: a listening ear and safe place to land. Your presence and consistency build healthy leaders.
Imagine the impact of:
- Hosting a small rotating dinner once a month for young adults or young leaders
- Starting a small group of 20-30 somethings, opening your Bibles, reading the scripture from Sunday (no added prep needed), and asking, “What stands out to you?”
- Sharing stories of mistakes, not just victories.
Paul wrote about this in 1 Thessalonians 2:8: “So we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.”
Get this engrained on a hat, T-shirt, or write it in sharpie on your arm. Your life experience is discipleship material. And no, you don’t have to have it all together.
Remember: What You Do Behind the Curtain Is More Important Than What You Do On the Stage
The next generation craves honesty, transparency, and authenticity from their leaders. You can’t form the people you lead if you’re not being formed yourself. You need to lead well behind the curtain.
- Do you have a group of pastors, mentors, and peers to sharpen you and hold you accountable?
- How do you engage your personal relationship with God without turning every devotion time into a public lesson?
- Try not to put yourself in unwise situations. You don’t need willpower to resist a temptation that isn’t present.
A mentor of mine says, “A leader who can’t be questioned can’t be trusted.” Can you be questioned? Are you the same in every room you walk into?
Faithfulness has never started on the stage. Jesus reminds us in Luke 16:10: “Whoever is faithful in the little will be faithful in much.” Long before leadership is public, it’s personal. And the next generation is paying attention to both.
Start small. Be relational. Begin with the conviction that discipleship has always moved at the speed of trust. The future of the church will not be built primarily on better stages, strategies, or systems. It will be built on leaders willing to be known, to invest deeply, and to faithfully form the people God has entrusted to them.
They’re not looking for perfect leaders – they’re looking for present ones who walk closely with Jesus and with them. The church has always been at its strongest when leadership is passed down through relationships.
Psalm 78 reminds us that we are called to tell the next generation the works of God, not just with words, but with lives worth following.
This has always been God’s design – faith formed through relationship, not performance.
Someone is watching how you follow Jesus.
Someone is learning how to pray by watching you pray.
Someone is learning how to lead by watching how you handle pressure, conflict, success, and failure.
And one day, someone will be standing where you stand now – leading, shepherding, discipling – because you chose to let them walk close enough to learn. You have the chance to offer truth, investment, formation, and Jesus to the next generation. And the best part? You don’t have to manufacture it. You just have to live it.
