All Gen Z articles
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Magazine FeaturesAlister McGrath: Young people are realising that secularism is a house built on sand
Secularism has failed to deliver on its promises, says Alister McGrath. Now is the time to explain how Christianity offers stability in a volatile world
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OpinionYoung people are turning to God, but not for the reasons you think
A new report from Christian thinktank Theos looks at the faith of 30 young people who have become Christians since Covid-19. Freya Laidlow-Petersen says their stories of slow conversion offer an alternative insight into the loud debates that have surrounded the so-called ‘Quiet Revival’
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OpinionWhy Trump-supporting Christians are driving Gen Z away from church
A survey has found that nearly half of Gen Z adults in the US say Christian support for Donald Trump makes them less likely to attend church. Kenny Klinglesmith says the American Church must be willing to criticise un-Christlike behaviour, even if they support conservative policy
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InterviewsPete Hughes: ‘We’re at the beginning of the Western Church being revived’
The shaking of secularism is driving young people towards Jesus, says KXC Church leader Pete Hughes. He explains why he’s convinced revival is already on the way
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OpinionPride month says “love is love”. So why ban marriage between cousins?
Lois McLatchie Miller says Sweden’s move to ban marriage between first cousins is waking society up to a truth Christianity has long understood. What if there are more boundaries to relationships than just consent?
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OpinionThe Church has the answer for a generation that fears stillness – but we’ve abandoned it ourselves
When a government trial restricted teenagers’ access to social media, some reported anxiety and a sense of isolation. Derek Hughes argues the findings reveal something deeper than screen addiction: a generation in fear of silence, and a Church that has forgotten how to inhabit it
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Magazine FeaturesAre young men rejecting seeker-sensitive Christainity?
Pioneers of the seeker-sensitive movement have long argued churches must make their services more accessible to win the next generation. But as growing numbers of young men are drawn towards expressions of faith built around discipline, reverence and sacrifice, AJ Gomez asks: Is it time to switch off the smoke machines?
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OpinionThe Quiet Revival was misjudged, but Gen Z’s openness wasn’t. Let’s turn their spirituality into gospel conversations
When Darin Stevens’ friend told him she “prayed to the universe”, he was unsure how to respond. Many young people say they are as spiritual, but misunderstanding what they mean risks missing vital opportunities for gospel conversations. Here, he shares how to point young seekers toward Jesus
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OpinionHannah Spencer says parliament has a drink problem. So does the Church
The Green party MP thinks Westminster has a problematic drinking culture. With more young people than ever abstaining from alcohol and older generations drinking more, Michael Tang says it’s not just politics. The unexpected generation gap in our churches might be affecting discipleship and turning Gen Z away from God
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OpinionEven if it isn’t a quiet revival, our church is still growing
In just a few years, Victor Oladele’s small local church has grown from around 30 adults to two Sunday services - with a significant number of young people coming through his doors. It’s not revival, but it is definitely something, he says, and that must not be denied
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OpinionAmong the people I meet seeking faith, the problem isn’t Christianity — it’s what people think Christianity is
In her conversations with those exploring Christianity, Rio Summers has found that the greatest barriers to faith aren’t hostility or disbelief, but misguided assumptions. Here, she explores the questions she encounters most often — and what they reveal about how Christianity is being misunderstood today
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OpinionThe withdrawal of the quiet revival report is a reminder not to measure the wrong thing
The Church was too keen to welcome a report that soothed its own anxieties, rather than looking to serve a generation drowning in their own, says Michael Tang. But Gen Z are still spiritually hungry, reading scripture in their rooms while trying to decide whether the institution that holds it can be trusted
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InterviewsBBC Radio DJ Swarzy on gospel moments on air, costly obedience and living out loud for Jesus
The BBC Radio 1Xtra DJ encountered God while shoplifting – and hasn’t stopped talking about Him since. She speaks to Emma Fowle about seizing gospel moments in secular spaces, the cost of standing by her convictions and why she refuses to tone down her love for Jesus
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OpinionTradition is important. But the Church must adapt in order to survive
The desire to preserve the beauty and tradition of the Church is valid, says Rev Jamie Sewell, but beauty without purpose is just a museum
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OpinionGen Z might find faith through lament as much as praise – Billie Eilish helped me see why
When a workshop pairing Billie Eilish songs with lament psalms drew an unexpectedly large Gen Z crowd, the response was striking: honest conversations about anxiety, doubt and pain that participants said was rarely heard in church. Michael Tang believes it suggests young people are searching for a faith that makes room for struggle, not just celebration
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OpinionThe Bible comeback: How a restless generation is rediscovering the good book
The evidence is in, says Rev Pat Allerton. Young people are turning back to scripture in their search for truth
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OpinionRupert Lowe says Britain is a Christian country. Is it?
The Restore Party has been inaugurated with a pledge to keep Britain Christian at the centre of its mission, but with abortion rates high, porn culture thriving, and the meaning of marriage being diminished, Lois McLatchie-Miller questions whether Britain is currently Christian in anything other than name
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OpinionThe Quiet Revival is happening. We have the stats – and the stories too
Responding to Pew’s criticism of Bible Society’s Quiet Revival report, Mark Woods points to data that reinforces YouGov’s findings of a Christian resurgence in the UK, including recent research from Pew themselves
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OpinionThe era of aggressive atheism is over. Can someone please tell the apologists?
Common objections to Christianity are undergoing a dramatic transformation. Today’s seekers are less bothered by science or suffering and far more interested in whether faith can be trusted with their lives. A new approach is needed, says Rio Summers. The old apologetic playbook is starting to feel out of date
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OpinionGen Z’s early morning ‘Bible before phone’ routines sound impressive. But there’s a downside to discipline
My generation has embraced the spiritual disciplines, notes Alexandra Zhirnova. But the answer to long-lasting habits isn’t discipline – it is devotion
