Evangelism

Gen Z is More Religious Than Older Generations, Poll Finds

Generation Z is more religious than previous generations and its members frequently engage in religious practices, a new poll finds.

Those “religious practices” can be positive, like prayer or attending religious services, but they can also be harmful, like engaging in astrology or “energy work.”

“Gen Z self-identifies as the most religious generation in America, with the practices to back it up,” said Libby Rodney, chief strategy officer at The Harris Poll. “But that doesn’t show you the whole story.”

The Harris Poll released the new report, “The Gen Z & Religion Report,” examining how Gen Z identifies with religion and spirituality, how those identities show up in practice and how they relate to community and relationships.

The September 2026 poll was conducted online from July 1-4, 2026, among a sample of over 2,000 U.S. adults.

The poll found that:

  1. Gen Z is not abandoning faith, they are the generation most likely to identify as religious.
  2. Gen Z is not just identifying with faith, they are actively practicing it.
  3. For Gen Z, spirituality is one way to build agency in an uncertain future.

One in three Gen Z adults (33%) identifies as religious, compared with 19% of Millennials, 22% of Generation X and 18% of Boomers, the poll revealed. Additionally, 88% of Gen Z regularly engages in at least one religious or spiritual practice, including reading religious texts, attending religious services or something else altogether.

Concerningly, the poll found troubling data that many members of Gen Z are turning to “New Age” forms of spirituality including “meditation or ritual,” “manifestation,” “astrology or tarot cards” or “energy work.”

The poll found:

  • 51% of Gen Z engage in meditation or ritual.
  • 49% practice manifestation (thinking certain thoughts or ideas in the hope it becomes reality).
  • 30% use astrology (a form of fortune telling by the alignment of stars and planets) or tarot cards (a form of occult practice and divination).
  • 32% regularly practice energy work (a false form healing by using “spiritual energy”).

“[Gen Zers] aren’t choosing religion instead of everything else. They’re stacking it,” Rodney added, pointing out the youngest generation’s tendency for religious syncretism.

“Church on Sunday, manifestation on Wednesday, tarot on Friday. The old assumption was that each generation picks less faith than the last. Gen Z picked more of everything.”

Clearly, Gen Zers are searching for meaning and a sense of direction in their lives. The problem, however, is that while there are growing signs of real revival in Gen Z, millions of young people are also turning to false forms of spiritualism to satisfy their spiritual longings.

Ultimately, these young people will find themselves unsatisfied until they turn to true faith in Jesus Christ.

As the great theologian Saint Augustine of Hippo wrote in prayer, “Thou hast formed us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless till they find rest in Thee.”

Only through the Christian faith, by turning to faith in Christ, will Gen Z find what they are looking for. As Jesus taught, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6, ESV).

Geremy Keeton, Senior Director of Counseling Services at Focus on the Family, told the Daily Citizen that despite the concerning trends, parents remain the primary influence in passing on faith to their children.

“Data confirms that parents still lead the pack in influence with teens – and teens acknowledge it when asked,” Keeton said. “Parents must lovingly, strategically and confidently capitalize on their influence opportunities.”

“Given the slew of non-biblical and spiritually-astray practices reported, it’s best to spend time engaging in thoughtful, question-oriented conversations that draw out the curiosities and experiences of teens,” Keeton advised. “Share truth and God’s plan through Scripture and your own lived experiences as their parent.”

Keeton encouraged parents to be as “grounded and emotionally and spiritually as healthy as possible” to serve as an authentic Christian witness. “It’s hard to give what you don’t have.”

Tim Sanford, Clinical Director at Focus on the Family, echoed the importance of sharing the truth of Christianity with your children.

“Gen Zers are searching for more than traditional religious constructs,” Sanford said. “They want something real. And if they’re looking for a God who is real, they will likely find the God of the Scriptures, because the God of the Scriptures is real, and He does desire to be known.”

“Will they have misinterpretations along their journey toward the truth? Most likely. And if we’re honest, that’s been true for every generation since the first century Church was established.”

Sanford added, “My hope is that while Gen Zers wrestle with theological issues the Church has wrestled with for centuries, they will reference the reliable old writings of the saints.”

To speak with a family help specialist or request resources, please call us at 1-800-A-FAMILY (232-6459).

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Photo from Shutterstock.

NASA Astronauts Reid Wiseman and Victor Glover Retire, Leaving Remarkable Legacy

What would you do after you get the moon?

NASA announced on Wednesday that astronauts Victor Glover and Reid Wiseman, the pilot and commander of Artemis II, would transition this month to emeritus status at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

“I’ve known Reid and Victor for years, and I’m grateful for everything they have given to NASA, including helping return America to the lunar environment on Artemis II,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. “I’m especially glad that service is continuing.”

“Through the emeritus program, they’ll keep mentoring astronauts, flight controllers, and engineers and passing along the experience that will help make Artemis III and the missions that follow stronger. Thank you both for everything you’ve done, and everything you’ll keep doing.”

Glover will support aerospace, leadership and public service efforts both within and outside of NASA, and help inform future Artemis astronauts with his knowledge of piloting the Orion spacecraft. He will also join his alma mater, Cal Poly, to focus on strategic initiatives, partnerships and philanthropy.

Wiseman will likewise share his spaceflight experience with colleagues for upcoming missions.

“The most meaningful moments of my NASA career did not take place in space,” Glover said about his new assignment. “They were supporting astronauts and their families through missions, and mentoring interns and new hires as they began their own journeys in technical and public service.”

“Service is ultimately about people, all people.”

Anyone who watched Artemis II’s four astronauts launch into space on April 1 inside the Orion spacecraft – and saw the stunning pictures and awe-inspiring moments that followed – couldn’t help but be moved by the beauty of creation and humanity’s ability to accomplish remarkable feats.

Hours before the crew aboard the Integrity spacecraft lost contact with Earth for 40 minutes as they sped behind the moon, Glover couldn’t help but share a biblical perspective about their mission: “As we continue to unlock the mysteries of the cosmos, I would like to remind you of one of the most important mysteries there on earth. And that’s love.”

“Christ said in response to what was the greatest command that it was to love God with all that you are. And He also, being a great teacher, said the second is equal to it, and that is to love your neighbor as yourself.”

When the Integrity spacecraft landed in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California on April 10, millions of Americans felt relieved the astronauts had made it back safely. Their brief journey 252,756 miles away from home left a permanent mark in the hearts and minds of Americans back on Earth.

I wasn’t alive to witness Apollo 8, the first human spaceflight to reach the moon. Nor was I alive to see Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin land a craft and walk on the moon in Apollo 11, with Michael Collins up in space. But witnessing Artemis II, I’m sure I experienced a small portion of what individuals alive to witness those historic moments felt.

Human beings, who are made in God’s image, are capable of remarkable achievements. We can learn about and explore the world, appreciate and care for God’s beautiful creation and love God and one another. The Artemis II crew demonstrated all that in spades.

After getting the moon, pilot Glover and commander Wiseman are retiring – but not really.

They’ll continue a lifelong mission of service to their fellow astronauts, their families and to humans far and wide, albeit in a new capacity. They’ll still be sharing about their journey to the moon and back, I’m sure – and helping prepare the crews of Artemis III and IV, scheduled to launch in 2027 and 2028, respectively.

The two heroes may never again leave Earth to fly to the moon. But they’ll also never leave our memories or our hearts.

To speak with a family help specialist or request resources, please call us at 1-800-A-FAMILY (232-6459).

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Photo from Getty Images.

Don’t Underestimate the Oversized Role of Christian Coaches in America

When Minnesota’s Becker High School football team charges onto the field for its opening game on Thursday night against Orono High, the Bulldogs will be led by Coach Dwight Lundeen – the same man who’s been guiding the squad for the last 57 years.

The 79-year-old Lundeen recently announced this season will be his last – the end of an era for a local legend who says, “My filter is ‘Christ-centered’ and faith is the most important thing in my life.”

Coach Lundeen has led his team to more than 400 wins and four state championships, but that’s not what has motivated him all these years.

“My purpose is to use football as a life-lesson setting so that we can draw kids to Christ by modeling the things we should model – and by inviting them to FCA.”

FCA is the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, an international sports ministry that was born out of an observation from a basketball coach named Don McClanen. As a student at then-Oklahoma A&M – now Oklahoma State University – Don noted that athletes often leveraged their celebrity to sell commercial products but rarely used that influence to share their Christian faith.

“If athletes can endorse shaving cream, razor blades and cigarettes, surely they can endorse the Lord,” McClanen told Dr. Louis H. Evans, Sr., the well-known pastor of Hollywood Presbyterian Church. Dr. Evans encouraged him to write to Christian athletes and invite them to publicly share their testimony. FCA was born.

Back in the late 1960s, Coach Lundeen’s team was composed of just 20 players. He’s now coached more than 4,000 young men. Each year, he says his goal has been to “impact young people in a positive way through the coaching doors the Lord has opened up for me.”

Over a million young men in America will be playing football this fall, and millions more boys and  girls will be engaging in various other sports.  All of them will be influenced by a coach and often more than one.

Discussions and debates about American education understandably revolve around teachers in the classroom and the curriculum students are being taught. These two factors have an inordinate influence on young people, especially as they develop their critical thinking skills and form their worldview. 

But who is coaching young people after school is also a critically important matter and one that’s often overlooked. In many cases, small schools scramble to find individuals who are qualified. At times, some may just get hired because of their availability rather than their coaching ability. 

It’s been said that when the famed General George C. Marshall was recruiting during World War II, he told his colleague, “I want an officer for a secret and dangerous mission. I want a West Point football player.” He wasn’t just saying he wanted someone proficient on the gridiron, but someone who had been well-coached, too.

Mitch Lyons, who went on to play in the NFL for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and who is now a successful financial planner, credits his high-school coach David Sukup’s FCA Bible study with sowing the seeds for his eventual conversion during his NFL career.

“Those nights at Coach Sukup’s house turned out to be the stepping stones in my faith journey,” he has shared. “He helped me find my faith. And for that I am eternally thankful.”

Ahmed Hassanein, who currently plays for the Detroit Lions, has expressed appreciation to Boise State coach Spencer Danielson for introducing him to Christianity. “Coach D, you changed my life,” he said. “I did not know God until I got to Boise State.”

An FCA representative recently asked Becker High School’s Coach Lundeen what Scripture best guides the way he coaches. He cited two.

1 Peter 5:7: “Cast all your cares upon Him for He cares for you.” 

“Whatever’s going to happen the next day, we’ll be able to deal with it,” Coach Lundeen explained. “I don’t need to hang on and worry about things.”

He then cited Philippians 4:6: “Don’t worry about anything, instead, pray about everything.” 

“Those verses define my faith and my coaching. I really feel the Lord will get me through whatever is coming up the next day.”

Coaches who possess God’s Word in their hearts also help their players recognize that the Lord will help get them through any trouble and challenge both on and off the field.

5 Spiritual Disciplines for Politically Weary Christians

Are you ever tired, frustrated or burdened by the news of the day? If so, you’re not alone.

The percent of U.S. adults who say they follow the news “all or most of the time” has steadily declined from 51% in 2016 to just 36% as of August 2025.

Why are millions of Americans turning the channel, or tuning out of current events entirely? Perhaps because media outlets regularly blare bad news, leaving many fatigued and burnt out. News corporations know negative news generates more clicks than positive stories.

At the same time, it’s hard to deny that much is wrong with the world today. Just last week, Massachusetts became the 12th state to legalize abortion up to birth. Euthanasia is quickly expanding across the West, with a doctor in the Netherlands legally killing a 12-year-old child. Radical Islamic terrorists are killing thousands of Christians in Nigeria. The Iran war is ongoing with no end in sight. The Russia-Ukraine war continues. And on it goes.

The Apostle Paul exhorted Christians to “look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil” (Eph. 5:15-16, ESV, emphasis added). The days were evil then. The days are evil now.

It’s important Christians know what’s happening in our nation, and around world. Only by being informed and engaging the culture – with our voices and votes – can we serve as salt and light in our dark world (Matthew 5:13-16).

At the same time, it’s easy to be consumed by a 24-hour news cycle, endless social media scrolling and constant Apple News alerts. If Christians aren’t careful, we can quickly become more influenced by media and tech companies, with their intentionally captivating algorithms, then by our faith.

How can Christians, worn out and wearied by today’s culture, develop spiritual rhythms for a sound mind amidst the chaos? Here are five spiritual disciplines to consider adding to your routine, if you haven’t already.

Prayer

Christians are called to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17, ESV). When you become overwhelmed by the day’s anxieties, saddened at the latest news story or fearful of where the world is headed, that can be a great opportunity for prayer.

“Our trials and difficulties … often bring us back to our inability and our need for the Lord to intervene,” write Kyle Strobel and John Coe in Where Prayer Becomes Real. “In these spaces, we know the truth that the Lord is calling us to be with him, to abide in him, and to know that without him we can do nothing.”

Do you pray consistently? Do you start your morning with prayer? Do you end your day with prayer? Turn to the Lord in the storm; you can be sure he’ll reach out to you.

Reading Scripture

Scripture is God’s Word to us. It points us to the person who is “redeeming all things” – Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:20, ESV). It teaches us about who God is, how we relate to Him, where creation is headed, and how we should live until Jesus comes again.

Do you regularly spend time reading the Bible? If not, reading one chapter of Scripture each morning is a good place to start.

Learn from God’s Word which is “sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12, ESV).

Weekly Church Participation

Do you attend church regularly? Or have you fallen into a routine of “attending” church online?

Online church is no substitute for in-person church, where we find Christ, company, communion and accountability. In the digital age, it’s even more important we “not neglect to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:25, ESV).

Silence

How much of your day do you spend in intentional silence? A few minutes? A few seconds?

Many of our lives have become so busy we’ve grown accustomed to constant noise, which can quickly drown out the voice of God.

“Our world no longer hears God because it is constantly speaking, at a devastating speed and volume, in order to say nothing,” writes Robert Cardinal Sarah in The Power of Silence. “Modern civilization does not know how to be quiet. It holds forth in an unending monologue.”

Consider incorporating intentional silence into your prayer routine. Here’s a fair warning: It might be difficult at first. Try spending three minutes in silence without allowing your thoughts to distract you. If you can’t, perhaps prayerful silence is a routine to practice.

Rest

On the seventh day of creation, God rested (Genesis 2:2-3). He didn’t do so because He was tired, but to sanctify the seventh day and give us an example of what trusting in His provision looks like.

If we take one day to say “no” to listening to the news, we say “yes” to trusting in God’s providential care for the world – even when we’re not tuned in to hear the latest breaking story.

Do you incorporate intentional times of rest into your schedule at least one day per week? Perhaps turn off the smart phone and log off social media as a part of celebrating the Lord’s Day. The news will still be there when you log back in on Monday.

As Christians, we know that despite the constant stream of bad news, we have the best news possible: “And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord’” (Luke 2:10-11 ESV).

Let’s remember to incorporate powerful spiritual disciplines into our routines to help us trust in God’s promises, and to share Him with the world.

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Photo from Shutterstock.

VP Vance in Interview With Bishop Barron: Faith Cannot Be Confined to Private Life

It won’t surprise you that the mainstream media didn’t pay much attention to Vice President JD Vance’s wide-ranging conversation last week with Catholic Bishop Robert Barron, host of a show titled, “Conversations at the Crossroads.”

Officially assigned to the Diocese of Winona–Rochester in Minnesota, Bishop Barron is a theologian and founder of “Word on Fire,” a media ministry that produces and distributes sermons, videos, books and Bible studies. In many ways, he’s a modern-day Archbishop Fulton Sheen, the Catholic clergyman who hosted one of the top-rated television shows in America in the early days of the medium.

Vice President Vance, who is a convert to Catholicism, joined Bishop Barron on the show last Friday to talk about religion, philosophy, and public life – hence the relative silence about the appearance in secular media.

For the past year, Bishop Barron has served on President Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission, a group that was created to advise the White House on a broad range of issues involving religious liberty. Just before Independence Day, the commission submitted a report with a comprehensive list of recommendations that President Trump has vowed to implement.

In the midst of Friday’s conversation, Vice President Vance addressed head-on the reported tension between Pope Leo XIV and President Trump. Seated at a table inside a house looking out onto a leafy backyard and pool, the vice president suggested that perhaps the perceived strain wasn’t all that surprising – and maybe even an indication the system is working as it should be.

“Every time the Pope says something mildly critical of a Trump administration policy, it’s like, ‘Oh, the pope hates the Trump administration,’” Vance noted. “Well, you know, actually, no, maybe the pope is trying to provide the kind of moral teaching that is inherently part of his job. And then we have to take that and try to apply it, which is part of our job. Conversation is essential to that.”

During both the first and second Trump administrations, that tension has most frequently bubbled up over immigration policy. Both Pope Francis and Pope Leo have acknowledged that while countries have a right to enforce their immigration laws and their borders, they have often suggested the government should nevertheless provide a legal pathway to remain in the country and become integrated into the culture. Both popes have also stressed the need to treat illegal aliens with dignity and respect – a value that our government has likewise shared, but which is subjective when officials are forced to deal with violent, aggressive and uncooperative offenders.

During the conversation, both Vice President Vance and Bishop Barron advocated for the need for an active citizenry and noted that people of Christian faith need not check their faith at the church door. 

“Growing up as a young conservative Christian, it sometimes felt like whenever Christians engage in politics, we were very comfortable engaging with this or that social or cultural issue, but not anything else,” VP Vance observed. “And I actually think there’s an opportunity for us to rediscover a more fully Christian politics that says that, ‘Actually, Jesus has opinions about all these things. And in fact, if you don’t get all of it right, you risk getting the most important parts wrong.’”

He continued:

You can’t just confine your faith to these narrow little slices of society or of culture or of your own life. It’s gotta be true for the whole thing … Jesus really cares about how you treat your wife and how you treat your kids, but He also cares about everything else, too. 

Bishop Barron and Vice President Vance went on to discuss C.S. Lewis’ famous reference that God doesn’t merely want a place in your house, but the entire house because He is the architect who understands and is sovereign over every inch of it.

Reflected the vice president: “If you really believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and you believe all the truths that flow from that to your point, He actually has a lot to say about all parts of your life.”

It should encourage Christians that the vice president of the United States is openly and enthusiastically encouraging believers to seek God’s wisdom and then bring their deeply held convictions into the public square.