God, vlogs and Gen Z: How a new generation is making church 'cool again'

A new study has revealed a resurgence in religion, particularly among Gen Z and millennials in the US.

For the first time in years, younger generations are outpacing older adults in church attendance. In fact, their attendance has almost doubled since 2020.

The typical Gen Z churchgoer now attends 1.9 weekends per month, while millennial churchgoers average 1.8 times – a steady rise since the pandemic.

According to Barna, this shift signals a fresh opportunity for ministry. Younger adults are showing both spiritual curiosity and a desire for belonging.

Interestingly, despite attending more frequently than older generations, they spend less than half the time while there. Barna suggests this could help churches rethink their approach "in ways that resonate with a younger majority."

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Speaking about the findings, Daniel Copeland, Barna’s vice president of research, said younger generations attending church more frequently than ever before "is not a typical trend".

"It’s typically older adults who are the most loyal churchgoers," he shares. "This data represents good news for church leaders and adds to the picture that spiritual renewal is shaping Gen Z and Millennials today."

David Kinnaman, CEO of Barna Group, believes the influx presents "a massive opportunity for congregational leaders, but this renewed interest must be stewarded well".

"Even with the increasing participation of younger generations, there is still the challenge of shaping hearts and minds to live out their faith beyond church participation," he adds.

And it’s seemingly not just the US experiencing this trend.

Indy100 spoke to Andy Smith, a UK-based youth expert who’s spent the past 26 years working in both secular and church environments. With a Master's in Christian Leadership and founder of Think Generations – an organisation specialising in training leaders to better engage with Gen Z – Andy has seen this shift first-hand across the UK.

“The rise in Gen Z, and especially Gen Z men, coming to church has been really noticeable,” he explains. “Churches across the UK of all denominations and styles are experiencing a surge in Gen Z engagement.”

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He points to Gen Z's deep desire for honesty and emotional connection over performance or perfection. “Gen Z are known as the ‘truth seeking generation’ and are more interested in real, authentic connections rather than a pristine slick service,” he says.

And it turns out, there's no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to what draws them in.

“The style of service that young Gen Z are engaging with ranges from upbeat loud praise and worship to Bible studies and quiet contemplation,” Andy says. “They're looking for real moments of encounter rather than just having a party-type experience.”

It's not just what they’re experiencing inside the church walls that matters – it’s also what they’re sharing outside.

“Every generation talks about what they're interested in, and Gen Z is no exception,” Andy notes. “The only difference is that they have a global platform online and the ability to create content.

"Vlogs about the services they attend and how it has impacted them are common because that's the medium of communication they prefer – other Gen Z's want to learn and understand from their experience.”

So what does this mean for the future of faith?

According to Andy, “The future of the church depends on how it's able to engage, disciple and encourage young people in their discovery of faith. Churches need to concentrate less on being attractional and instead focus on helping people encounter Jesus firsthand and fall in love with him more.”

It’s clear Gen Z isn’t content with shallow answers – they’re looking for something deeper to believe in.

“Gen Z are looking for a cause to get behind, the church needs to give them that cause,” Andy adds.

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