If you’ve been paying attention, you’ve heard people discussing the growing openness toward religion, particularly Christianity, among 18-28-year-olds today. It appears that there has been a shift in trends.
The previous generations brought us the “great dechurching” or the “rise of the religious-nones” as culture became increasingly secular and post-Christian. However, all of these trends have recently slowed down. In some places, they have even reversed, and there is evidence suggesting that Gen Z is a generation returning to church and embracing faith in Christ. In fact, last month I read an article stating that Gen Z is now the most regular church attendees, surpassing millennials and Baby Boomers.
On a recent Redeemer Network Podcast episode, I spoke with three great leaders—Justin Smith (New City Church), Chris Cummings (Doxa Church), and Reid Monaghan (Gospel Underground )—who are doing excellent work in reaching this demographic. We compiled seven key lessons they’ve learned about effectively ministering to college students and young adults.
I’ll list a summary here, but I encourage you to give the podcast episode a listen.
1. Live Among Them – Travel with them in everyday life
Reaching college students requires presence. We need to be present with them in everyday life as they learn, grow, and process their identity, their future, and fundamental questions about the meaning of life, the universe, and God. This often means having patience and trusting God’s timing and provocation.
2. Share Your Life – Have open, not locked doors
Presence also requires time and margin. This involves sharing your life with them: hosting meals, overlapping them with your family, cooking for them, and “adopting” them into your flow. The goal is to let them see an authentic life and family. Churches should create church-based connections and/or partner with like-minded campus ministries to facilitate this.
3. Share the Gospel and Give Space for Exploration
It’s vital to answer questions kindly, clearly, Christianly, and with conviction. You can use questions as an indirect way of sharing the Gospel by getting people to think differently and disrupt their current idolatry or foundations.
Lead them to self-discovery of truth through their explorations. This includes helping them do “multimodal” exploration, exposing them to the Bible, good people in digital spaces, good books, YouTube channels, and podcasts.
4. Shape Hearts of Dedication & Commitment
College students and young adults often desire to be a part of everything they can, which can cause them to spread themselves so thin they are “no good for no one”. We must elevate the importance of giving their all to a specific mission.
Practically, this can mean pushing for a strong commitment, such as Covenant Partnership, to help them understand the importance of belonging to a single local church. Part of teaching commitment is also teaching them how to organize and structure their time, as this demographic can sometimes be “incredibly flaky”.
5. Give Them Ownership
Young adults want to be a part of something significant and make a difference. Their dreams can appear limitless. The church should create space for them to lead.
“Don’t leave them on the bench, put them in the game”. Help them discover their talents, gifts, strengths, and weaknesses, and then help them understand how they can be used for the advancement of God’s Kingdom. Put them in positions of leadership so they can learn from success and failure. They are not just consumers; help them own the vision and play a role in it.
6. Fuel Their Hearts with a God-Size Vision
While college students may not provide significant financial resources, they more than make up for it in potential and energy. They are often eager to learn and make a difference.
Churches would do well to help college students see their life in the grander scheme of God’s mission and vision for the world. Help them see how they are able to play a part in your church’s vision so that they are active participants, not just consumers. Do not silo college and young adults; make them equally a part of the church.
7. Prepare Them for Life After College
The decisions college students make now will affect the rest of their lives. We have a responsibility to help lead them through this by teaching them things like:
- The importance of church membership
- Financial stewardship
- Dating and relationships
- Spiritual disciplines
This emerging generation is open and ready to engage.
I hope these lessons fire you up to keep working in your own context to reach and disciple college students and young adults. I know it has done so for me!
Want to connect? Looking for help, resourcing, or ministry coaching? Reach out to me here and let’s talk.
Ministry That Matters 