Wake Up, Look Up

Hello everyone. Thanks for listening to Wake Up, Look Up, a podcast where we connect events happening in real time to the gospel of Jesus Christ. I'm Zach Weihrauch and in today's episode we're asking the question, is Gen Z a revival generation? Now this has prompted by, uh, what I thought was a hilarious article in the New York Times asking the question, why are so many Gen Zers drawn to conservative Christianity? Why say it was hilarious is it's just funny to listen to secular people describe a religious phenomenon. Even more so, it's interesting to read secular people's take on what God is doing. I'll just say this. Like for example, the article starts by saying that even though one third of Gen Zers the upcoming generation are non religious, a growing number are turning to Christianity. You know, another way of saying that same sentence is that 2/3 of Gen Zers are religious. Well, that's an overwhelming majority. So I guess it shouldn't surprise us that many of them are finding that the ultimate source of actual connection to God is faith in Jesus Christ. I don't know how you feel about the upcoming generation, but if you're not excited about them, you should be. If you're paying attention. 24% of Gen Zers attend an evangelical church weekly. That's awesome. That means every time you pass someone in that generation, two, almost three out of 10 are going to a local Bible believing, Bible preaching church because they want to know more about Jesus. Many young people are turning to Christianity for answers in what is a chaotic world that they are inheriting. And people like the New York Times are really struggling to understand it especially and this is where the article really focuses when those young people are learning to connect their faith to the way they live and the way they see the world. But let me just offer some guidance to you, my listeners, and maybe even, I don't know, to the New York Times. Here are four things I want you to think about with Gen Z. Here's the first. The Holy Spirit is working in them. Remember that Peter prophesies or I guess uses the prophecy of Joel in his sermon at Pentecost in Acts 2 when he talks about why everyone is speaking in languages they don't understand. And he says, don't you remember when what Joel told you was going to happen, that God said, I will pour out my spirit. That is what's happening in this generation. They are being stirred up to thinking about Jesus. God is drawing them to himself. And when the Holy Spirit is doing anything, I want to be Part of that, and I want to be around that. Young people on TikTok learning about Jesus are no less being drawn to him by the Holy Spirit than, than young people in Acts 2 hearing the preaching of Peter. The Holy Spirit is diverse in the ways he communicates the gospel of Jesus. What I'm praising God for is that young people are hearing it and believing it wherever they're hearing it and however they're coming to believe it. And here's what they're finding when they encounter the Christian message. And this is my second point. The Bible beats burnout. And what I mean is think about the world Gen Zers are inheriting. A world where people are divided, a world where they've been told morality is whatever they want it to be, a tribalistic, antagonistic, broken world. And what they're finding when they turn to Jesus is truth. And that Jesus says in John 8, the truth will set you free. Young people are turning back to the idea that morality is not whatever they want it to be and that they need a transcendent source of, of righteousness and morality. And they're finding that in Jesus. In other words, they see the ugliness of the things my generation believed and taught them and they're finding something more beautiful in Jesus. And let me say this, this is my third point. These young people aren't radicals the way the New York Times is painting them out to be. They're a remnant. And what I mean by that is throughout the Bible God speaks says don't look at what's happening in the majority. Look for the minority in whom I am at ah, work in the beginning of the Book of Acts. That's about a hundred people in an upper room praying. It looks at that point like the, the world has stomped out Christianity. But those hundred people are going to turn the world upside down. Listen, I'm telling you, I know 8 out of 10 Gen Zers might not be going to church every week, but those two to three that are, that's all God needs to change the world. And when I read an article like this, that's what I'm praying like God, use those two, use those three, use those 200, use those 300, use TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, whatever to burn this generation into your kingdom and into the world. I'm excited about what they can do. And that's my fourth point, right, Revival, which is what is happening, um, among Gen Z, always looks weird to outsiders. Paul says this in 1 Corinthians 1, that God uses the foolish things of this world to confound the wise. He says the gospel appears as foolishness to those who are perishing. So if you're a Gen Z or listening to this podcast and you're fired up about following Jesus and you're excited about the kingdom advancing and in your generation, don't let the New York Times or old people like me discourage you. I think God is going to do amazing things in your generation, and I'm just praying to be around to see it. Uh, and to be in the back of the room cheering you on. Uh, the New York Times may think it's weird. I think it's the hope of our country and the world. Hey, thanks for watching this episode of Wake Up, Look Up. If you enjoyed it, please help us get the word out by sharing it with someone you think might benefit from it. And while you're here, make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to get further content or even download the CCC app, where you'll find even more resources to help you grow in your faith and relationship with Jesus Christ.

Have an article you’d like Zach to discuss? Email us at wakeup@ccchapel.com!