Engaging the Next Generation: Strategies for Connecting with Gen Z and Alpha (Part 2)

As we continue our discussion on how to engage Generation Z and Alpha, or the middle and high school students in our churches, let's briefly recall the initial characteristics we explored in Part 1: First, Gen Z and Alpha value authenticity, so to engage them, we must be authentic and genuine, sharing who we are and showing up without pretense. Secondly, they believe morality is subjective; therefore, we must refocus on teaching them the Gospel and apologetics, helping them understand and articulate the basics of their faith. In this follow up article, we'll discuss a few more characteristics of Gen Z and Alpha and how we can engage with them to point them to Christ.

(The characteristics below come from various sources, including Barna, GWI, and a youth ministry training conference I attended.)

Characteristics of Generations Z & Alpha and What We Can Do About It

(Read Characteristics 1 & 2 here.)

3. They are digital natives

Our middle and high school students have never known a world without the internet. They’ve grown up with screens at their fingertips. Even those whose families don’t allow them to have a cell phone until a certain age still spend time looking at their friends’ phone screens or sitting on their laptops most of the school day. For both generations, screens have become their security blanket, something to hide behind or escape to when they’re nervous, bored, or afraid.

>> So what do we do? - Engage them face-to-face.

Since their comfort is on a screen, we need to teach them the basic skills of face-to-face conversation, not in a condescending or patronizing way. In our Quest ministry, one of the first things we teach our students is how to ask good questions and listen well in a conversation. One practical exercise to do this is to put them in small groups and give them five minutes to find three things their group members have in common, then have them share in the larger group. This helps them begin to ask questions to learn more about each other, get curious with their peers, and teaches them to listen well. 

Another practical tip is to have students put their phones in a bin when they arrive at youth group. We’ve seen the benefits of this at our winter conference, YEC, and summer camp, CrossWalk, as we’ve asked students to keep their phones at home and experience the retreats without distraction. Rather than stare at their screens, they make conversation, and most feel less anxious and more present within a day of being off their phones. 

We need to improve in-person engagement because their whole life is digital. So ask yourself: How is face-to-face interaction cultivated in our ministry? Perhaps start with these ideas to move in that direction!

4. Speaking of anxiety… Gen Z and Alpha are more anxious than any previous generation!

Jonathan Haidt wrote about this in his book The Anxious Generation, saying: “Gen Z is the first generation of teens in the United States to go through adolescence with this level of connectivity and has become more anxious, depressed, and suicidal than any generation recorded before them.”

They’re not watching the nightly news like previous generations, but they are constantly fed news of political and social unrest on their social media feeds. They see their friends hanging out without them, and pictures of the “perfect” vacation or relationship. This can breed anxiety, discontentment, and even disillusionment. 

At the same time, they are told that if they are worried about something, they must have persistent anxiety. They have peer TikTok influencers doting out mental health advice and labels that should be reserved for licensed professional counselors, so they have been conditioned to think something is wrong with them. 

>> So what do we do? - DISCIPLE them.

We have to help students navigate through hard things and disciple them. Remember your years as a teen in school! Middle and high school are a time when hard things happen: your body is changing, social pressures increase, and it can be rough, now more so with the added challenges of living in a digital world. We must walk alongside our students, listen well, and help them deal with difficult emotions, reminding them that not everything they feel is true.

Of course, I’m not discounting students who are genuinely struggling with an anxiety disorder or depression. Once we come alongside a student and listen to their story, we need to be able to refer them to a professional counselor when we’re out of our depth.

But we won’t know what a student might need unless we take the first step to engage them. The teenagers in your church are more eager to hear from you than you might realize! As someone with more life experience and a deeper walk with God, you have powerful stories to share about His faithfulness and how He's guided you through challenges. Engaging the next generation doesn't have to feel overwhelming. It begins with humility – prioritizing listening over lecturing, building genuine trust through relationship, sharing your vulnerabilities (appropriately), and consistently pointing them towards Jesus.

If your church would like more resources to reach the next generation, please don’t hesitate to contact me.