Gen Z Faith: No Revival, But the Decline Has Finally Stopped

Time magazine recently asked if Gen Z is experiencing a religious revival, and the answer from researchers is a clear no. Political scientist Ryan Burge looked at the numbers and found that weekly church attendance is still around 25%, and a real revival would require the average church to grow from 70 to 110 attendees. He’s blunt about it:“How many stories have you heard of a church that’s 75 people now is 125 people? I’ve not heard any.”So no, there’s not a sweeping move back to the pews.

But here’s the part that should give folks some hope: the decline has stopped. The share of Gen Z with no religious affiliation has flattened out around 42%. For years, that number kept climbing. Now it’s holding steady. And there are real signs of life in some corners. The Passion conference, aimed at 18-to-25-year-olds, is expanding to two stadiums for the first time. That’s not a national revival, but it’s proof that young adults are still hungry for something real.

So what does this mean for families and communities? It means the story isn’t over. The gap between millennials and Gen Z when it comes to religion is half the size of previous generational gaps. That suggests young people aren’t as far gone as we feared. Maybe they’re not coming back in droves, but they’re not slamming the door either. That leaves room for conversations, for invitations, and for hope. What do you think? Have you seen faith making a comeback in your community, or is it still a struggle? Let us know in the comments.