Are young people turning to God?

Listening to a recent podcast, I was surprised to hear author Lamorna Ash suggest that GEN Z (those born between 1997 and 2012, the smartphone generation) were not satisfied with AI answers, and were asking deeper questions. They were questioning political leaders, and wondering “how can I go back to something older with a different kind of authority, a kind of spiritual and literary route?”

The interview discussed her recent book “Don’t forget we’re here forever.”  The book is based on years of meeting and hearing from young adults in the UK who have turned to the church for answers to their very modern anxieties.  Although Ash has not come to any firm conclusions herself, she was struck by the growing interest among young people in different expressions of the Christian faith. Again and again she found people searching for meaning, purpose and genuine connection.

That longing for connection is perhaps unsurprising. Author Jonathan Haidt warns about the danger of smartphones on the well-being of young people.  He writes “the great rewiring devastated the social lives of Gen Z by connecting them to everyone in the world and disconnecting them from the people around them.”

Perhaps young people are fed up with this sense of being more connected than any time in history and yet more alone at the same time. I was struck by one particularly interesting question the interviewer asked Ash about why this longing for connection would lead people to turn to Christianity rather than a sports club or a political party?

It’s a good question, for you can get great community at a sports club.  It seemed that people were looking for more.  They were looking for someone who would be with them always, someone who would support them in all of life.  Political movements come and go. Sports clubs can provide friendship, but they cannot carry us through every sorrow or answer life’s deepest questions. Many young people seem to be looking for someone who will never leave them.  Whilst Lamorna herself is still investigating, she said that what young people were craving was a “personal relationship with Jesus Christ.” 

One aspect of Christianity that Ash found surprisingly helpful was confession. Yet what exactly is sin?  She seems to understand it as a failure to live up to her standards, but the ancient literature that she is also interested in describes sin as far more serious than this.  The Bible says our deepest problem is not merely failing ourselves but rebelling against the God who made us.  Wonderfully when we confess this to Jesus, He is willing to forgive us for all our rebellion because He died for us. 

The way to have this personal relationship with Jesus is to come to Him recognising our need of Him.  Wonderfully when we do that, we not only have the joy of knowing Him with us at all times, but we become part of His church, a community of people of different ages and backgrounds all united together for a greater purpose of loving God and loving neighbour.

Are young people turning to God? There are certainly stories emerging in the UK that would suggest that they are.  If you’re curious to explore this ancient literature for yourself, or simply want to discover more about Jesus, why not come along to church on a Sunday? You’ll find people of all ages who are discovering what it means to be transformed by God’s grace.