Parents cannot afford to ignore why so many Gen Zers are walking away from Christianity. Understanding the reasons behind this dramatic cultural shift is essential for any Christian parent hoping to nurture enduring faith in their children.

In this sobering and highly relevant episode of Christian Parent/Crazy World, Catherine is joined by guest Laurie Christine (author, podcast host, and biblical parenting coach) for a deep dive into the top seven reasons Gen Z is leaving the faith.

Pulling from recent Barna research, Catherine outlines the most prominent factors cited by young people, including the prevalence of evil and suffering, hypocrisy within the church, challenges regarding science, accusations that Christianity is “fairy tale,” historical injustices, church irrelevance, and personal bad experiences with Christians. Each of these issues is explored, not only in terms of what is driving the exodus but with practical suggestions and resources for parents at every stage—from young children in the home to teens on the brink of adulthood.

Key Points Covered:

• A Crisis of Worldview in Churches

  • Only 37% of pastors and 51% of evangelical pastors have a biblical worldview (09:24), according to the American Worldview Inventory.

  • Parents are cautioned not to outsource spiritual formation solely to churches—home must be the primary place for faith development.

• The Power and Pervasiveness of Cultural Influence

  • Social media, internet, and secular worldviews bombard kids daily, requiring parents to proactively engage in conversations about pantheism, secularism, suffering, identity, and more (10:49).

• Barna’s Seven Reasons Gen Z Is Leaving the Faith (12:02), (32:55)

  1. 1. I have a hard time believing that a good God would allow so much evil or suffering in the world (29%): see EPISODE 66 w/ Dr. Douglas Groothuis

     2. Christians are hypocrites (23%)

     3. I believe science refutes too much of the Bible (20%) See Dr. Stephen Meyer: Signature in the Cell, The Return of the God Hypothesis, and Darwin’s Doubt; also see Dr. John Lennox (The “God Delusion “ Debate with Richard Dawkins)

     4. I don’t believe in fairy tales (19%) see “The Case for Christ” & “The Case for Christ for Kids” by Lee Strobel

     5. There are too many injustices in the history of Christianity (15%) see Episode 9: How Does Christian Worldview Creates the World We all Want to Live”, see Episodes 

Ancient apologetics is usually treated as a literary genre or a branch of early theology. This Element offers a different account. It argues that many Jewish and Christian texts conventionally labeled 'apologetic' are better understood through a bibliographic and archival lens: They produce authority not only by defending doctrines, but by organizing books, constructing corpora, mobilizing archives, and regulating interpretation. Tracing a trajectory from the Letter of Aristeas to Jerome's De viris illustribus, this Element shows how citation, collection, cataloguing, and textual ordering made traditions appear authoritative. Examining Aristeas, Josephus, Tatian, Justin, Origen, Pamphilus, Eusebius, and Jerome, it argues that apologetics is best understood as a form of curatorial power through which ancient communities learned to think with books. This title is also available as open access on Cambridge Core.

New Books in Late Antiquity is presented by Ancient Jew Review.

Sabrina Inowlocki is a Senior Research Fellow Institute for Religion and Critical Inquiry (IRCI) at the Australian Catholic University.

Michael Motia teaches in Classics and Religious Studies at UMass Boston

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Every human is wired for emotional connection. And our earliest relationships with our parents, siblings, and others around us teach us when it’s safe to rely on someone to meet our needs. Pastor Kevin Thompson helps you understand how your formative years impact the way you connect with others, especially your spouse. With a better grasp on the attachment styles, you’ll learn how you can nurture a more secure connection with your spouse.
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The Bible is a book, but it is not just a book.

__________

For more resources visit breakpoint.org. 

The tragic case of Cambridge professor Jason Arday reveals much that is wrong in today's higher education. And how certain are you about your belief in God?

Segment 1 – Jason Arday; The Rot in Higher Ed

• Alex Berenson Substack

• UM Skipping Letter Grades

Segment 2 – Shaky Belief in God

• Ryan Burge on Belief

Segment 3 – Questions

• Sidewalks in the Kingdom: New Urbanism and the Christian Faith (The Christian Practice of Everyday Life) by Eric O. Jacobsen and Eugene H. Peterson

Pop culture is everywhere—shaping the way your kids see the world and often teaching lessons that go against God’s Word. Dr. Holly Brand explains why you as a parent play such a crucial role in helping your children develop a strong faith, discern truth from lies, and build godly character in the middle of today’s confusing culture. She’ll share how you can help your kids find their identity in Christ, work through doubts, and stand firm on God’s truth, even when life gets tough. Those small, intentional choices you make every day can have a lasting impact on your child’s heart and beliefs.
Receive a copy of the "Christ & Culture 2.0" bundle and an audio download of "Teaching Your Children How to Engage the Culture" for your donation of any amount! Plus, receive member-exclusive benefits when you make a recurring gift today. Your monthly support helps families thrive.
Get more episode resources 
Do you have a story or comment on how Focus on the Family impacted you or your family? Leave a message for Jim Daly!
If you enjoyed listening to Focus on the Family with Jim Daly, please give us your feedback.

Jason Arday was as much a victim of his own ideas as he was the victim of other's good intentions. 

__________

For more resources visit breakpoint.org.