The faith of Generation Z frequently draws them to church on Sunday but often fails to shape their lives during the week.
Lifeway Research’s State of Discipleship highlighted eight signposts that measure characteristics evident in believers who are progressing in spiritual maturity. On a scale of 0-100, the average U.S. Protestant churchgoer scored 68.1 across all signposts. New generational analysis revealed the four adult generations scored similarly: Gen Z (65.6), millennials (68.5), Generation X (67.6) and baby boomers and older (67.6).
“Young churchgoers who identify as Christians in any of the Protestant traditions agree with many of the beliefs and go along with the practices of the faith but often with less surrender and less discernment of theological details,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research.
Younger churchgoers outpace their older counterparts in specific signposts, including sharing Christ and building relationships. Gen Z churchgoers also attend church more frequently than others in the congregation. However, Gen Z significantly trails other generations in the signposts of exercising faith and living unashamed. They also have the lowest levels of agreement with key theological beliefs.
“My biggest concern for Gen Z is not that they are disconnected from the church; our research shows that Gen Z is deeply involved. The greater concern is that they are not being deeply formed,” said Chuck Peters, director of NextGen ministries at Lifeway.
The various age groups within a church need each other, said Chad Higgins, Lifeway’s senior manager of church equipping. Older churchgoers should see this as an opportunity, he said. “I pray that we, as believers, do not fall into the cultural trap of generational finger-pointing but instead lean in and build meaningful relationships with this younger generation.”
Gen Z demonstrates their faith
Younger U.S. Protestant churchgoers are among the most likely to show up to worship services and serve in leadership positions within their congregations.
While the median churchgoer in each generation attends four worship services each month, the average Gen Z churchgoer attends a worship service at their church 6.2 times a month, compared to 4.8 times for millennials, 5.1 for Gen X and 4.5 for baby boomers and older. This implies that while the typical Gen Z churchgoer attends at a similar frequency to other generations, there is a portion of young adults who attend at much higher rates.
Not only are Gen Zers attending worship services more frequently, but they also attend small groups at their churches more than any other age range. Those 28 and younger attend an average of five times a month compared to 3.7 among millennials, 2.7 among Gen X and 2.5 among baby boomers and older.
“Each younger generation has been less likely to attend church and less likely to identify as a Christian,” McConnell said. “Among those in Gen Z who do attend church, it is common for them to make it more than a part-time commitment. They are present at multiple activities or services during the week.”
Young adult churchgoers aren’t simply showing up; they’re also serving. They are among the most likely to say they have regular responsibilities at their church (36%).
In the past six months, they are also the most likely or among the most likely to have served someone who they knew could not repay them (6.5 times), memorized a Bible verse (6.3), fed the hungry (6.0), visited the sick or home-bound (4.9), fasted (4.8) and invited an unchurched person to church (4.2 times).
Within the past year, Gen Z is also among the most likely to say they have read a book, in addition to the Bible, about increasing their spiritual growth (76%), read a commentary or book teaching more about what’s in the Bible (72%), participated in a Bible study group that included personal study outside the group meeting (67%), regularly used and followed a Bible reading plan (66%), attended a conference or retreat to invest in their spiritual growth (58%) and attended a Bible study not associated with their church (56%).
In addition, Gen Z churchgoers are among the most likely to say they study the Bible every day (22 %), similar to millennials (18%) and more than Gen X (14%) and boomers (15%).
Gen Z shares their faith
Gen Z churchgoers are often actively looking to form relationships within their churches and communities and leverage those for evangelism and discipleship.
In the sharing Christ signpost, Gen Z (63.7) and millennials (62.6) score higher than both Gen X (57.7) and baby boomers and older (46.0).
In the past six months, the average Gen Z has shared their faith story with someone 6.7 times, compared to 2.7 times for those 61 and older.
Around 2 in 3 U.S. Protestant churchgoers 28 and younger (64%) intentionally build friendships with non-Christians so they can share Christ with them. Only 1 in 3 churchgoers 61 and older (33%) say the same.
This evangelistic intentionality is part of how most Gen Z churchgoers live their daily lives. Two in 3 (66%) say they seek opportunities to speak out about Jesus during their normal activities. Less than half of baby boomer churchgoers (46%) agree.
Gen Z churchgoers are also more likely than any other generation to say they have participated in a mission trip to another country (39%) and among the most likely to have participated in one in the United States (46%).
The different generations can learn from and encourage each other in evangelism and discipleship, according to Higgins, who recently oversaw the development of DisciplesPath, a resource to help with congregational discipleship. “As older generations, we have a biblical responsibility to encourage and strengthen our younger brothers and sisters in Christ,” he said. “They need our wisdom, and we need their zeal.”
Young adults also score among the highest in the building relationships signpost (68.8).
Seven in 10 Gen Z churchgoers (71%) say they intentionally spend time with other believers to help them grow in their faith, compared to 46 percent of boomers. Most young adult churchgoers (56%) say they have been discipled or mentored one-on-one by a more spiritually mature Christian, meeting at least once a month for several months. Most (53%) also say they have discipled someone else in that same way. That is not the case with other generations.
Still, warning signs exist for the discipleship of Gen Z. “Statistically speaking, they’re attending church, connecting in small groups and serving as much or more than other generations,” said Peters, who oversees Lifeway Students and Lifeway Kids. “But there is a significant gap in theological understanding, spiritual confidence and obedience to God.”
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EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Aaron Earls and published by Baptist Press.
