Gen Z Is Experiencing Rising Church Engagement, Pastors Say: ‘Something Is Shifting’
A rising share of America’s pastors say Generation Z has become more engaged in church life over the past year, according to a new Barna survey that echoes what others are witnessing firsthand: a renewed hunger for faith among young adults.
The poll found that 45 percent of Protestant senior pastors report higher engagement among members of Generation Z (ages 13 to 26), compared to 12 percent who report lower engagement and 43 percent who say it has remained about the same. Pastors also report increased engagement among Millennials (ages 27 to 41), at 42 percent – a figure that is higher than for Gen X (42 to 60), at 31 percent, and Boomers (61 to 79), at 25 percent.
Together, the numbers point to a notable pattern: young adults are outpacing Gen X and boomers in rising church engagement.
“For decades, church leaders have reported significant obstacles to reaching younger generations,” said David Kinnaman, CEO of Barna Group. “But something is shifting in what senior pastors are experiencing. Many are now reporting increased engagement among Gen Z and Millennials. Pastors are nearly twice as likely to report increased engagement among Gen Z as among Boomers. And reported engagement among Millennials is 35 percent higher than engagement among Gen X.”
Other indicators tell a similar story. Since the fall of 2023, college students have packed arenas on dozens of campuses for nights of worship, testimonies, and baptisms as part of the Unite Us movement – gatherings that were unheard of a decade ago. Meanwhile, a Barna survey released last fall also found Bible reading among Gen Z and Millennials is surging, with nearly half engaging Scripture weekly – a percentage higher than Gen X and boomers.
Churches reporting the largest gains in young adult engagement tend to be churches that are larger, non-mainline, and led by pastors under 45. For the survey, Barna allowed pastors to interpret for themselves the meaning of “engagement,” a term that may include church attendance as well as involvement in activities such as volunteering, small groups, and spiritual growth.
The data showed that pastors report similar increases in engagement among Gen Z men (45 percent) and women (46 percent).
“What makes these findings significant is not that engagement is rising everywhere. It clearly is not. Rather, the data suggests that in a substantial number of churches, pastors are seeing real signs of renewed interest and participation among younger generations,” a Barna analysis said. “In many congregations, younger adults are not only expressing curiosity about faith – they are attending, participating, and leaning more fully into the life of the church.
“The story of the next generation and the church is still unfolding. But according to pastors across the country, signs of new engagement are beginning to appear.”
The report, released March 9, was based on surveys conducted between Jan. 29 and Feb. 8.
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Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
Listen to Michael's Podcast! He is the host of Crosswalk Talk, a podcast where he talks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian movies, books, television, and other entertainment. You can find Crosswalk Talk on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an interview that will be sure to encourage your faith.
Originally published March 18, 2026.
