Youth Hunger for God Increasing: Call for Discipleship

“This is encouraging news,” read George Barna’s recent report, “This generation tends to believe there’s something out there more powerful than them.”

“The Open Generation: United States” report reveals how 77% of teenagers surveyed are motivated to learn about Jesus with an additional 52% being “very motivated” and less than 20% who feel otherwise, and only 7% who are unsure.

The report states that “[t]eens express interest in Jesus” and how many approach “faith differently than previous generations.”

“Authenticity and relevance are key” to young people, so too is asking “difficult questions” about who Jesus is, as well as how God’s Word is relevant to their everyday lives, the report continued.

“The findings [from Barna’s research] are similar to Pew Research data published in 2018, which showed that … 80% of Americans say they believe in God,” The Christian Post reported.

Despite Pew research reporting how 80% said they believed in God, “only a slim majority of the nation’s approximately 327 million people were found to believe in God as described in the Bible.”

“Many [youth] remain hesitant to embrace religion or churchgoing,” Pew went on to report.

Barna researchers concluded that “church leaders should recognize that teens’ openness to learning about Jesus represents a significant opportunity for meaningful engagement.”

These polls, whilst reporting good news, raise some important questions for the body of Christ which are: A. why do so many identify as Christian when there is a lack of belief in God as described in the Bible, and B. why are many youth desirous of God yet hesitant to embrace going to church?

“A thoughtful approach given Gen Z’s hesitancy toward religion and the Church” Barna reports, and we have the answer for what this generation is so desperately in need of.

Looking deeper into these questions and data points we began seeing a significant opportunity for the church to seize upon and that is concerning discipleship!

A single church can reach thousands in their community but if there is no follow up and equipping of those who are brought into the fold, a significant portion of a new believer’s development is hindered.

Without discipleship, new believers are essentially given the greatest of all and then are left to their own devices to figure out what to do next, if anything.

And so, could it be that discipleship the missing key we need to focus in on in the body of Christ?

Is a lack of discipleship causing some to initially claim they are followers of Christ and then, over a period of time, this turns into a lack of desire to go deeper in their faith, let alone attend church?

The point here is that evangelism needs to be accompanied by discipleship.

If we want to see the number of those who profess Christ actually believe in the one true God found in the Bible, as well as helping youth find and solidify their faith in Christ, discipleship is the answer.

Thank you for your support.

If you appreciate the work we do to spread the good news of Jesus Christ, please consider giving a gift to help us continue this work. Maranatha!