We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too. 1 Thessalonians 2:8 NLT
Sophia Gustafson is a 21-year Gen Z follower of Jesus. She has already worked for several years in youth ministry. In an article in EXPONENTIAL, from March 2026, she shared it is the burden of her heart to see the next generation know and love Jesus.
The entire article moved and informed me. She said this generation is hungry and desperate, The question is NOT if they are hungry. The question is what they are being fed and what the church is offering. Now there’s a question. And she got the answer. She has talked to and surveyed hundreds of our next gen, and this is what she learned. The next generation is hungry for authenticity, investment, and belonging. And it’s our job to offer that nourishment to them.
Those are the premiere gifts Jesus gave His disciples. Many of those who followed Him were young as well. Most of His ministry was informal and didn’t happen in temples or synagogues. He did teach the masses. The Sermon on the Mount was the kind of teaching situation that occurred several times with powerful results. But most of His ministry was different, and it is the ministry example that brought us the church. Jesus developed disciples around dinner tables, on long walks, in private conversations, and in small groups. He asked questions and listened to the answers. He corrected misunderstandings and encouraged their growth. He invited them into His everyday life. Jesus didn’t have a discipleship “program.” He modeled intimacy with the Father through close relationships.
This is how we meet the deep hunger of the Next Gen for authenticity, investment, and belonging. This is not to minimize programs and parties and organized systems for the young people in our care. But winning the next generation is not simply a job for our “youth workers.” It is the responsibility of all of us. Intentionally interacting with the young people at home, church, and in the community, paying attention to them as Jesus did to people says, “You matter to me. You are worth my encouragement, my example, my time.”
They are watching you already. Intersect with them in prayer and conversation whenever you can. Put words and relationship with your example and be part of winning the next generation one at a time.
- God has already positioned you where the vital next generation can find help and hope through your life and example. Ask Him to open your eyes and ears for opportunities.