It is no secret that the younger generation has suffered from a variety of challenges and difficulties that has left many of them anxious, depressed, and struggling to cope in today’s fast-paced world.
In a recent interview, with ALCAP President Greg Davis on Priority Talk Radio, Thom Rainer discussed this trend, and how to meet it, from his book: The Anxious Generation Goes to Church.
“There is a huge amount of young people whose minds are being shaped in ways that we have not seen before” said Rainer. Based on his research, these primary areas are: 1) the internet, 2) the smartphone, and 3) social media.
Noting that these things have “rewired the American mind,” he highlighted that many children in Christian homes are being shaped by their smartphones instead of the Word of God.
ALCAP had the opportunity to be engaged in this very issue during the 2025 Alabama Legislative session when we supported and advocated for more parental input on smartphones to help protect young people from the dangers. And while the Legislature can do certain things to help the situation, the church also has a critical role to play.
With urgency in his voice, Rainer pointed out that negative impacts of our digital age have the ability to “destroy young people emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and ultimately physically… and the church had better be ready to respond.” His research also found that many young people are not so much interested in churches being modernized and slick, but they instead seek authenticity, strong relationships, and genuine worship.
Rainer added a hopeful note though to say that both Generation Z and Generation Alpha are getting more and more receptive to the gospel. In a world where they are surrounded by screens, the gospel presents something real and authentic.
“Look at the reality of what is happening to this generation… and look at it through the lens of the hope of Christ, that is the way we will begin to a see a revival… the Anxious Generation is waiting for us to take their hand and walk beside them.”