We are at war.

Regardless of age or income, you are most likely fighting this battle. It’s the war against “stuff,” and in the West, it is statistically worse than anywhere else in the world. Did you know that 90% of worldwide self-storage inventory is in the United States?1 In the last 40 years, self-storage industries have become one of the fastest-growing U.S. commercial real estate sectors.2

We can look at these statistics and come to two pretty apparent conclusions. First, we are obsessed with collecting ‘stuff,’ and it would be reasonable to say that a lot of it isn’t even used (hence the storage unit). Whether it is emotional support or illegitimate ‘needs,’ most people collect more items because they hope doing so will fill a void. Secondly, this shows us that we have difficulty letting go of ‘stuff’ in our lives. For example, I have shirts hanging up in my closet that I should let go of, but every time I look at them, I think, “What if I need you tomorrow?”

Gen Z

But what do storage units have to do with reaching the next generation for Christ?

As previous generations have obsessed over material things, Generation Z has been watching. The result is a failed understanding of what the soul truly needs.

In a study conducted in 2023, the American Survey Center found that 39% of Gen Z women and 34% of Gen Z males identify as religiously unaffiliated.3 Statistics also show that the parents of millennials and Gen Z have done less than any previous generation to encourage regular participation in worship services or to model religious behavior in their homes. To compare, 18% of baby boomers, 25% of Gen X, 29% of millennials, and 34% of Gen Z declare themselves uninterested and uninvolved in religious affiliations.4 

What does this mean for the Church today? Look at Paul’s exhortation in Ephesians 3:10, where he talks about who God’s vessel is for bringing light into the dark today: “So that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known.” If more and more of the younger generations are leaving the faith, how should the Church respond? How are we to display the “manifold wisdom of God?”

Like our materialistic possessions, Gen Z has more ‘stuff’ going on inside their heads than any previous generation. Jonathan Haidt released a study on this ‘Anxious Generation’ in his book, The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness. In it, he found that anxiety has increased by 139% in American adults from ages 18 to 25.

With this number rising, I would like to share a few observations I’ve made as a College and Young Singles Pastor.

Safety

Generation Z needs a place that feels secure to them. I say this with zero intention of watering down the Gospel or making the Truth of God’s Word less than it is in order to “fill a room.” If there is one thing I’ve noticed, it’s how good this younger generation is at spotting a fraud. With so much material and emotional clutter happening daily, young people need a consistent and compassionate environment they can rely on. Culture is changing daily and the voices are getting louder and more demanding for young people to meet unrealistic expectations. The Church has a significant opportunity to provide a stable and dependable place for the most anxious generation that’s ever lived.

Dependable Mentorship

Generation Z needs dependable mentorship. It’s more than communicating knowledge or hoping to increase biblical scholarship; both are good things. It hinges on relational depth. I’ve heard it said that the Kingdom of God advances through relationships. Such is true for reaching this young, disengaged generation with the good news of Christ. What I’ve found deeply interesting is how hungry college students and young adults are to connect with someone at a spiritual level. I dare to say it’s become a lot simpler than we, as Christians, have made it. An invite to a coffee shop, a favorite lunch spot, or an early morning breakfast can change a life. Invite them into your home and watch the front door become a threshold for eternity.  

Don’t Give Up

Lastly, and in no way is this list exhaustive, don’t give up on them. Once they recognize that there is a space for them to come just as they are and an established relationship, it is a matter of time before they are willing to hear and listen to the Gospel. Only the love of Christ can reveal and remove all the ‘stuff’ we’ve put into the storage unit of the soul. The most anxious generation longs to hear and believe the words, “God loves you.” They don’t need more ‘stuff’ or events to attend. What they need is more substance and truth that satisfies them. I pray that we will be the generation known for building bridges for the lost to experience the love of Christ.

  1. Alan Bernau Jr., “54 Self-Storage Industry Statistics You Should Know for 2023,” Alan’s Factory Outlet, accessed April 14, 2023, https://alansfactoryoutlet.com/blog/self-storage-industry-statistics/ ↩︎
  2. Bernau, “54 Self-Storage Industry Statistics You Should Know for 2023.” ↩︎
  3. Daniel A. Cox & Kelsey Eyre Hammond, “Young Women Are Leaving Church in Unprecedented Numbers,” Survey Center on American Life, accessed April 4, 2024, https://www.americansurveycenter.org/newsletter/young-women-are-leaving-church-in-unprecedented-numbers/ ↩︎
  4. Cox & Hammond, “Young Women Are Leaving Church in Unprecedented Numbers.” ↩︎