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By Michaela Gordoni
A new study by Lifeway Research revealed that Gen Zers are quick to attend church but struggle to apply faith in their everyday lives.
“Young churchgoers who identify as Christians in any of the Protestant traditions agree with many of the beliefs and go along with the practices of the faith but often with less surrender and less discernment of theological details,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research.
The average Gen Z churchgoer attends church 6.2 times a month; millennials attend 4.8 times a month; Gen X attends 5.1; and baby boomers and older attend 4.5 times per month, Baptist Press reported.
Out of all the generations, Gen Z is the most active about building relationships and sharing Christ. However, they are the lowest when it comes to exercising faith and living unashamed, and they rank the lowest for agreement with key beliefs.
“My biggest concern for Gen Z is not that they are disconnected from the church; our research shows that Gen Z is deeply involved. The greater concern is that they are not being deeply formed,” said Chuck Peters, director of NextGen ministries at Lifeway.
Chad Higgins, Lifeway’s senior manager of church equipping, said older generations need to build relationships and intentionally guide the younger ones.
Related: Christian Podcaster Says Faith-Seeking Gen Zers ‘Want the Truth’
Young adults are also the largest group for serving in the church. They are also the most likely to have served someone who they knew could not repay them, memorized a Bible verse, read the Bible every day, fed the hungry, visited the sick or home-bound, fasted and invited someone to church.
“Each younger generation has been less likely to attend church and less likely to identify as a Christian,” McConnell said. “Among those in Gen Z who do attend church, it is common for them to make it more than a part-time commitment. They are present at multiple activities or services during the week.”
Last year, Barna Group also confirmed the same findings: Gen Z are the largest group that attends church frequently.
OneHope president Rob Hoskins said, “Unlike previous revivals sparked from single locations, this potential awakening is decentralized and digitally connected—unfolding across continents through worship gatherings, dorm room surrenders and social media conversations. Gen Z is discovering faith on podcasts, in text threads, navigating belief in a pre-Christian culture where past assumptions no longer hold.”
“This awakening isn’t looking for celebrity; it wants community,” he explained. “It’s not chasing emotional highs, but pursuing spiritual depth.”
Lifeway’s data highlights Gen Z’s struggle to take faith to heart. Clearly, something gets across to them because they show up. But we need to make sure they know that God isn’t just at church — He’s with you wherever you go.
Read Next: How Open is Gen Z to Faith? Study Reveals Surprising Answer
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