More than 34,000 young people made professions of faith during this year’s Winter Jam Christian concert tour, underscoring what the tour’s pastor says is Generation Z’s deep hunger for authenticity and truth. Launched in 1995, Winter Jam is an annual multi-city tour that is known for its expansive lineup — this year featured 10 artists, including Crowder and Lecrae — and its affordable admission ($15). It’s also known for its unapologetic gospel focus, with tour pastor Zane Black delivering a brief gospel presentation at the midway point each night. 

This year, Winter Tour recorded some 34,500 first-time professions of faith from individuals who typed their information into an online form and then were paired up with a local church. (That is, if they did not come with a church group in the first place.) The digital platform is run by Gloo. 

Many nights were sold out. 

Generation Z, Black said, is “hungry for what’s real.”

“They are inundated with the counterfeit — whatever is edited, cropped, filtered,” Black told Crosswalk Headlines. “The digital age has pushed them so far into the world of AI that they long for something real. And so I think we have an opportunity within the church to present authentic, real truth in an age of [the] artificial and skeptic. There is a real God. There’s a Book that is true. And there’s a love that is life-changing, that’s tangible.”

The darker the culture grows, Black said, the more thirsty people are for truth.

Christians of Generation Z, he added, are “on fire.”

“There’s so many who are excited about sharing the life of Christ with their friends.”

Winter Jam has two purposes, Black said: 1) share the gospel and 2) encourage the faithful. Young believers who attend the concert can look around and tell themself, “I’m not alone,” he said. 

Meanwhile, Black said he believes there is “more pressure on this [current] generation than ever before.” Much of it is driven by social media. 

“They’re comparing themselves with all these false images,” he said. “… To me it comes down to really identity. Students are longing to know: ‘Who am I?’”

The church has an opportunity, he said.

“We have the hope of Jesus and the Word of God to say, ‘Here’s who God says you are — you are loved, you are chosen, you have purpose, no matter your past, no matter your future.

“Gen Z is hungry for that.”

Source: Christian Headlines, Author: Michael Foust

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The president of the Christian university that launched a revival movement last year says he is optimistic about Generation Z’s future and believes young people are hungry for something the world cannot give them. The revival, or “outpouring,” started during a regularly scheduled chapel service at Asbury University in Wilmore, KY., in February 2023 and continued 24 hours a day for the next 16 days. During a panel discussion this week, Asbury University President Kevin Brown acknowledged that many in Gen Z are “leaving the church and they comprise a significant proportion of the nones” — but that he remains hopeful.

They’re depressed and anxious and have been discipled, so to speak, by social media and phones and all that,” he said Tuesday during the panel discussion about the Asbury outpouring at the Evangelical Press Association’s convention in Lexington, KY. “But that doesn’t mean they are not hungry for something that’s good and right and true and real.”

Brown said the student-led outpouring impacted his view about the next generation.

“I actually was in the balcony during a period of time when students were sharing some of their confessions and things they were struggling with. And I knew it was real because they weren’t self-editing what they were saying — even though there were administrators and faculty members in the room.”

He said it was common for students to surround other students who were struggling in life and pray for them.

“Look at the last few years — look at all the difficult things that they’ve had to deal with. Look at the church and look at just some of the moral failures and the hypocrisy that a lot of young adults witnessed in the church — they want something more,” Brown said.

Brown quoted a student as telling him, “We don’t want the accouterments that come along with faith, Christianity, evangelicalism — just give me something real to anchor into amidst the dynamism of this moment.”

Members of Gen Z may get criticized a lot in the U.S., but Brown remains hopeful for their future.

“My hope for this generation has been kindled in just a profoundly optimistic way,” Brown said. “Because I think they are going to not only emerge out of this but also to be a corrective of some of these things that have challenged the church in evangelicalism over the last 25 years — and not just at Asbury, we’re seeing it throughout the United States, we’re seeing that throughout the world.”

Alexandra Presta, editor of The Asbury Collegian and a student at the university, agreed with Brown.

“We do want something just real and genuine — that’s not fake,” Presta said. “And Jesus is just the one who truly sees them and knows them and loves them and loves me.… I think a lot of people in my generation are just waking up to the fact that we don’t want any more quick fixes. He’s the eternal solution.”

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Source: Christian Headlines, Author: Michael Foust

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In the bustling city of Oakwood, nestled between towering skyscrapers and historic buildings, lies St. Mary’s Church, a cornerstone of the community for generations. Its stained glass windows tell stories of faith, hope, and tradition. Yet, beneath the veneer of tranquility, a quiet revolution brews.

The pews, once filled with fervent worshippers, now echo with the footsteps of fewer attendees, particularly among Gen Z women. A recent survey conducted by Oakwood University’s sociology department revealed a startling trend: more Gen Z women are abandoning the church than their male counterparts.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows over the churchyard, Pastor Jonathan gathered his thoughts in his dimly lit study. The survey results weighed heavily on his mind. How could a sanctuary that once served as a beacon of solace for so many now be losing its grip on the younger generation, especially women?

He reminisced about his own journey to the priesthood, the unwavering faith that guided him through turbulent times. But for today’s youth, faith seemed elusive, overshadowed by the allure of modernity and skepticism.

Across town, in a cozy apartment adorned with posters of social justice movements and feminist icons, Maya scrolled through the survey findings on her tablet. As a proud Gen Z woman and a staunch advocate for equality, she found herself nodding in agreement with the statistics.

Growing up in a traditional Catholic family, Maya’s Sundays were spent attending mass and reciting prayers. Yet, as she entered her teenage years, she began to question the teachings of the church. Why were women relegated to subservient roles? Why were their voices silenced in matters of faith and doctrine?

Her disillusionment deepened as she witnessed the church’s reluctance to address pressing social issues, from LGBTQ+ rights to reproductive freedom. For Maya and many of her peers, the church’s values no longer aligned with their own evolving beliefs.

Meanwhile, at Oakwood University, Professor Carter sifted through the survey data with a furrowed brow. As an esteemed sociologist specializing in religious studies, she had anticipated some degree of disengagement among Gen Z youth. However, the gender disparity caught her off guard.

In her meticulously organized office, lined with bookshelves brimming with scholarly tomes, Professor Carter pondered the underlying factors driving Gen Z women away from the church. Was it a lack of representation in leadership roles? Was it the failure to address gender-based discrimination within the congregation?

As she delved deeper into her research, Professor Carter embarked on a journey of introspection, grappling with her own relationship with faith and feminism. Like Maya and countless other Gen Z women, she yearned for a spiritual community that embraced diversity, empowerment, and inclusivity.

Back at St. Mary’s Church, Pastor Jonathan convened a meeting of the parish council to discuss the survey findings. The mood was somber as they contemplated the future of their congregation. Should they adapt to the changing times, or cling to tradition at the risk of alienating a generation?

In the end, they chose a path of reconciliation and renewal. With Pastor Jonathan’s guidance, St. Mary’s embarked on a mission to foster a more inclusive and progressive environment, where all members felt valued and heard.

As the church doors swung open on Sunday morning, a sense of anticipation filled the air. Gen Z women, once disillusioned by centuries-old dogma, now found solace in a community that welcomed their voices and honored their experiences.

In the heart of Oakwood, amidst the ebb and flow of societal change, faith endured—not as a relic of the past, but as a beacon of hope for a more equitable future. And in this newfound harmony, the spirit of St. Mary’s thrived, stronger and more resilient than ever before.

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