5 Disruptive Church Trends with Gen Z

1. Gen Z is in Revival and Retreat At the Same Time

Sometimes you get conflicting data on a trend, and this is what appears to be happening with Gen Z.

If you’ve been at all active on social media in the last two years, it’s almost impossible to miss the renewal (revival?) that’s happening across college campuses and with young adults across America, the UK, and in other places around the world. What began or at least crystallized at the Asbury Outpouring in February 2023 has continued in pockets and waves in various places.

The UniteUS movement that swept across US college campuses in 2024 is a clear indicator that something is happening among Gen Z right now.

The college campus phenomenon corresponds with Barna data showing that Gen Z is generally spiritually open, with over two-thirds of Gen Z saying they are highly or moderately open spiritually.

There are three factors to pay attention to.

First, spiritual openness doesn’t always lead people to Christianity. It can just as easily lead people to Buddhism or a self-directed spirituality (among many other options).

Second, even if peoples’ openness leads them toward Christianity, that doesn’t automatically translate into church attendance.

Finally, notice the drop off in spiritual openness between Gen Z teens and Gen Z adults.

There’s a significant 18-point drop in Gen Z’s who say they are highly open spiritually once they become adults compared to when they were teens.

There are three factors to pay attention to.

First, spiritual openness doesn’t always lead people to Christianity. It can just as easily lead people to Buddhism or a self-directed spirituality (among many other options).

Second, even if peoples’ openness leads them toward Christianity, that doesn’t automatically translate into church attendance.

Finally, notice the drop off in spiritual openness between Gen Z teens and Gen Z adults.

There’s a significant 18-point drop in Gen Z’s who say they are highly open spiritually once they become adults compared to when they were teens.

I think that’s a very healthy tension to live in.

And if more churches embrace a non-derivative approach, the Church will have the innovation and diversity we need for the future.

What To Do

By all means, learn from other churches and best practices, but don’t ignore the movement of the Holy Spirit or the uniqueness you bring.

Authenticity resonates.

Practically speaking, open up more vulnerably in your messages. The best definition of vulnerability I know is that vulnerability makes you question whether you’re being too transparent. It feels risky.

Second, coach your worship leaders and service hosts to be more sensitive to what’s happening in the room, not just committed to reciting scripts.

And finally, in your service planning meetings, don’t just fill in the blanks with three songs and a message. Take time to be truly creative.

While this trend is a lot deeper than three simple steps, those steps can usher you into a new, more responsive, and open era.

5. The Church Leader Mental Health Crisis Is About to Get Worse

So, the good news is that the mental health of church leaders has rebounded somewhat from an all-time low during COVID.

There are storm clouds brewing, though, and that’s why I’m not convinced we’re out of the woods yet. 

The number of pastors who have given real, serious consideration to quitting full-time ministry within the last year dropped from an all-time high of 42% in 2022 to 33% in 2023.

While that’s encouraging, it still means that a third of all pastors in America are contemplating packing it in. Yikes. A third of all pastors in America are contemplating packing it in. Yikes.Share on X

Fuelling this is a pervasive loneliness among senior pastors that is intensifying, not abating. Today, more than ever, pastors are unlikely to be getting the personal support and relationships they need to thrive. Today, more than ever, pastors are unlikely to be getting the personal support and relationships they need to thrive. Share on X

As recently as 2015, 37% of pastors said they were receiving monthly personal, spiritual support from a network of peers or mentors. Today, just 19% of pastors are getting that support, which, of course, means that 81% of pastors are not getting regular personal support that’s vital to leaders.

There’s one trend in pastoral mental health that’s sobering and disturbing. 

When you look at age-adjusted statistics about how pastors are faring, the results are staggering.

While 21% of pastors over the age of 45 say they are flourishing in their well-being, only 7% of church leaders under the age of 45 say they are flourishing.

In other words, the next generation of church leaders are not all right.

Not only is there a shortage of next-gen church leaders ready to step into leadership, but those next-gen leaders are already not thriving.Not only is there a shortage of next-gen church leaders ready to step into leadership, but those next-gen leaders are already not thriving.Share on X

That’s a major concern.

What’s At Stake

As go the leaders, so goes the church.

If the leaders aren’t healthy, the church won’t be healthy. If the leaders aren’t healthy, the church won’t be healthy. Share on X

We already have a mental health crisis in the church, but what’s ahead in the next few years in terms of global instability, economic challenges, and the development of AI is going to push leaders to a new edge.

What To Do

It’s hard to prescribe something that will magically ‘fix’ a generational mental health crisis, but that doesn’t mean we should do nothing.

At a minimum, senior leaders need to model healthy practices both in their leadership and in their lives. Gone are the days when leaders can or should drive their teams to work 60+ hours a week and remind people “they can sleep when they’re dead” or that they should “burn out for Jesus.” I know that it still exists in pockets, but it’s not only toxic; it’s bad theology.

Similarly, I still hear reports of pastors who have embraced personal margin and health in their lives but expect their teams to pick up the slack. So the leader is ‘healthy’ (if you can call it that), but the team and organization are dysfunctional and overworked.  That’s a recipe for future failure, too. 

The mantra I’ve embraced since my burnout almost 20 years ago is “Live in a way today that will help you thrive tomorrow.” Not survive tomorrow, but thrive. 

This isn’t just a personal credo; it needs to be an organizational reality as well. 

I have a lot more on that in At Your Best, but the reality is we need to see leaders, teams, and churches flourishing. 

The call to ministry can be difficult and demanding, but too often, we make it far more difficult and demanding than it needs to be.The call to ministry can be difficult and demanding, but too often, we make it far more difficult and demanding than it needs to be.Share on X

So, What’s Next For Your Church?

These are the church trends I’m keeping an eye on in 2025. I hope and pray they help you and your team thrive, responding to the organizational, cultural, and personal challenges you face.

For more, listen to my podcast series on Church Trends here and download the free Church Trends Leader Guide to walk you and your team through the teachings and how to apply what you have learned to your church. 

The future of the church, of course, is bright. It gets brighter still if our generation of church leaders sees the moment we’re in clearly and responds accordingly.

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