Gen Z expresses curiosity about faith in new survey

Generation Z may be a bright spot in an otherwise increasingly secular culture. Forty-four percent of Gen Z adults between the ages of 18 and 26 are either very or extremely curious about Jesus and/or the Bible, an American Bible Society survey found.

Despite the lack of scripture engagement among America’s youth, about half of Gen Z respondents agreed that “the message of the Bible has transformed my life.” Among Gen Z adults between the ages of 18 and 21, 49 percent agreed that the Bible had a transformative effect on their lives. This number rose to 52 percent among Gen Z respondents between the ages of 22 and 26.

“Gen Zers have been described as curious, digitally savvy and advocates for change,” said John Farquhar Plake, Ph.D., the society’s chief ministry insights officer. “We see all of this reflected in our research, but we also see a generation struggling to find their footing with faith.”

Although Bible engagement rates for Gen Z have been trending down for the past three years, he echoed his organization’s belief there is still important intrigue observed in Christ and biblical truth.

“This generation still shows significant interest in the Bible and the message of Jesus,” Farquhar said. “Ministry leaders may be surprised to find how open Gen Z adults in their communities are to discussions about God’s word. And if the trends we’re seeing continue, it’s crucial to be having those conversations now.”

Farquhar’s point is important, considering that the research found many non-practicing Christian and non-Christian Gen Zers are open to discussions about Jesus and the Bible. With the trendlines going down but interest still strong among man, the pressing need for evangelism is evident. The data come as new outreach efforts take form. Among them is Gate Zero, an interactive video game aimed at helping young people engage in scripture.

“We really want to dive into creating a video game for the younger generation to be able to experience Jesus and to be able to get familiar with the stories and the events from the Bible,” Arve Solli, one of the creators, recently said.

–Alan Goforth | Metro Voice

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