EDITORIAL
From the Editor | Ed Stetzer
The resurgence of church attendance by young people—particularly young men—is making headlines around the world. From the “Quiet Revival” reported on in the U.K. to a story in the New York Times on Easter Sunday, the news is spreading. For many of us, this has been something we have been working toward for a long time.
Reports of Renewal
The most remarkable finding from a Bible Society report in partnership with YouGov shows a strong shift in church attendance among members of Gen Z, quadrupling from 4% to 16% between 2018 and 2024. There has been a particular rise in Gen Z men, growing more than fivefold from 4% to 21%, while attendance of women in Gen Z grew fourfold from 3% to 12%. Across age demographics over 2 million more people attend church in the U.K. than six years ago.
In an article I wrote for USA Today I noted several encouraging trends:
* The Wall Street Journal reports a surge in Bible sales, especially among first-time buyers, while the American Bible Society notes an increase in Bible use and engagement.
* Barna reports a growing interest in learning more about Jesus among Gen Z teens.
* Ryan Burge notes the dramatic rise of the “nones” seems to be leveling off after a 30-year trend.
* Faith-based series and movies including The Chosen and King of Kings make up a growing share of the entertainment market.
We also see reports in the U.S. like Unite US, where college students are gathering for services on campuses. Beginning with 5,000 students at Auburn University in September 2023, campuses from Florida State to Ohio State and more report thousands in attendance and hundreds of baptisms.
Barna reports a rise in spiritual hunger across generations that is most pronounced in Gen Z: Fifty-nine percent of Gen Zers say they are more open to God today than before the pandemic.
While we rejoice at the encouraging news, we also remember that this resurgence of attendance is actually just a return to where we were perhaps a few years to two decades ago. In the U.S., self-reported church attendance has declined from about 42% actively attending to 30% from 2000–2003 to 2021–2023 according to Gallup. There is yet much more to be done, but we pray the trends continue.
It is worth leaning into a few of these trends, particularly the renewed engagement of young men in church.
Beneath the Numbers
More young men attending church is a cause to rejoice. Ryan Burge notes that there has been a significant trend upward among younger men attending church weekly and a downturn of those who never attend church. The trend is also seen in women but at a lessening rate, and more young women have been dropping out.
When I speak on these issues as I’ve been traveling and doing the Lead the Way Tour (Biola.edu/leadtheway) this year, I’m struck by the fact that people are enthusiastic about this news and applaud the interest in young men. But there are a couple caveats worth considering.
First, there is a crisis among young men in our country that is substantial and deepening. In times of crisis people look toward other ways of living and thinking. It is abundantly clear that young men are searching today. I wish I could tell you that all young men represented by the resurgence I have noted are turning to church. But we also have to acknowledge that young men are being drawn to other people and ideas. This includes the likes of Andrew Tate, who represents the worst of toxic masculinity.
Others are being discipled by Joe Rogan—though I wouldn’t put Joe Rogan in the same category as Tate. We can add to that the Jordan Peterson phenomenon. Vox calls Peterson “a lifestyle guru for men and boys who feel displaced” in today’s world. In fact, David Brooks at the New York Times calls Peterson the “most influential public intellectual in the Western world right now,” comparing him to the preeminent 20th-century conservative writer and thinker William F. Buckley Jr.
Personally, I’m far more interested in young men being discipled in Christ-centered churches by older godly men. I want to see young men being changed by the power of the gospel. We are seeing today a generation realizing that the modern world has failed to deliver on its promises. Their existential questions are not being answered with clarity by the subjectivistic and individualistic moral tone of our time. Searching, apprehensive young men experience loss in their quest for meaning. It’s no wonder many are drawn to a confident, steady voice like Peterson. We must seize this moment to show them the spiritual hope found in Christ.
The second caveat is that for the first time in recent history we see more Gen Z men than women attending church. Twenty-one percent of Gen Z young men compared to 12% of women attend in the U.K. Across the world, recent research shows a widening ideological gap between men and women globally. (I was in Korea twice last year, and this is part of the crisis there, impacting birthrates and demographics.)
In the United States, young women are not going to church at the same level as young men. We don’t yet have enough data to ascertain with full confidence why this is the case, but statistically we do know that there is a correlation between the ideology of young men and young women and their church attendance. Young men are trending more toward conservatism across the globe, while young women are simultaneously trending more progressive.
Now, here’s where people tend to get mad at me, but it’s a statistical fact that the more progressive you are, the less likely you are to go to church. I know this bothers some, and I would clarify that this does not mean all people who are progressive are irreligious, but there is clearly a connection between the two.
Additionally, due to the church’s conviction about the authority of the Bible, it has historically been more conservative on issues pertinent to some young women today, such as sexuality and gender. The gender gap is most significantly on LGBTQ+ issues, where 31% of Gen Z women identify as LGBTQ+ (most frequently bisexual) compared to 12% of Gen Z men. Access to abortion also ranks high on young women’s concerns. Therefore, we ought not be surprised at the trends as young men become more conservative and young women become more progressive—and it impacts church engagement as well.
A Way Forward
So, how do we respond to the opportunity seen in young men and the challenge revealed by young women?
1. We consistently present a vision of what gospel-centered men and women look like.
With young men this means we avoid two extremes: turning to the trap of some of the craziest ideas of hypermasculinity over the last 20 years in some churches on one hand, or affirming the passivity and indecisiveness that marks (and frustrates) too many young men who are confused about what it means to be a man today. We’ve all seen the trail of destruction that such approaches left behind. We need to call young men to something more: to stand firm with conviction on the gospel while also displaying humility and gentleness. Put simply, we need to show men how to be like Jesus.
2. We need to be sure women are seen and see other women in church who are making a difference for the gospel.
Church should never be a place where young women feel unwelcome, unheard and unnoticed. Representatives from different theological perspectives all can acknowledge that the voices and leadership of women are important in the life of the church. We can welcome the questions of young women and provide answers that are full of grace and truth. Young women should feel seen at church, and see other women in leadership.
3. We can interact with all young adults with an understanding that the world has changed dramatically.
We must show how the unchanging gospel impacts our changing times. In The Great Dechurching, Jim Davis, Michael Graham and Ryan Burge note that one-third of younger adults today had no religious training or example in their homes. As such, we have to take a step back as we teach God’s Word, building upon the grand narrative of redemption to show how every issue dealt with in the story of God is centered in Christ. Short, pithy responses are not what this generation seeks. Let’s give them truth with grace, clarity and depth.
The Great Opportunity
Jonathan Edwards observed that the Great Awakening was primarily led and impacted by younger people. We are seeing encouraging signs today. This is a real moment for the church. It’s a moment that many of us have been praying for. Let’s engage this moment, but let’s not start announcing a revival. It’s not that. It’s an opening, an opportunity. And, as the people of God, we can (and must) say, “Here I am Lord, send me” (Isa. 6:8).