By Gavin Boyle
At 8 years old, Ester Souza is one of many kids helping the church in Brazil bring the gospel to the country in an easy to understand way.
“Ester Souza, 8, is one of several children helping to spread evangelical Christianity in Brazil, reaching millions of followers on social media,” Washington Post reported. “@oficial_estersouza_ is part of a new surge of child preachers helping to spread evangelicalism to the country, which is currently 26 percent of the country’s religious population. Experts estimate that by 2050, evangelical Christianity will become the majority religion in Brazil.”
Related: How Open is Gen Z to Faith? Study Reveals Surprising Answer
While Souza will take the pulpit at her father’s church in rural Brazil, the main way she reaches people is through social media, where she has nearly 1 million followers. Her popularity comes as protestant Christianity has swept through her country in recent years. This rising interest in faith largely comes from a desire for something to find hope in.
“There is a desperation. A sense of ‘Our world is spiraling out of control and we need something bigger than ourselves to intervene in this. We don’t want religion, we don’t want culture wars. We want a radical encounter with a living God that’s going to make a difference in my everyday life,’” international evangelist Christine Caine told Barna when discussing this growing interest.
A similar trend has taken place in the U.S. as well, as many Americans in college or younger are much more open to the gospel than the generations before them.
“Gen Zers have been described as curious, digitally savvy and advocated for change,” explained Dr. John Farquhar Plake, chief ministry insights officer of the American Bible Society. “We see all of this reflected in our research, but we also see a generation struggling to find their footing with faith.”
“This generation still shows significant interest in the Bible and the message of Jesus,” Plake added. “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.”
Along with a general openness and a need for stability after experiencing major world events like the pandemic, younger generations are also receiving the gospel from people their age. College campuses across the country are being transformed by their athletes using their platforms to share the good news of Jesus. It is amazing to see this trend play out across the world as the younger generation leads the way on a massive revival.
Read Next: Ohio State Football Team Proclaims Gospel After National Championship Win
Questions or comments? Please write to us here.
– Content: +2Share:
– Content: +1