Gen Z Christians are the most generous generation in the Church

Recently, I was preparing a presentation for the new ministry that my wife and I have set up. We launched Gen Zeal to contend for revival in the next generations. We long to see the young leading the young in holy passion, fervent prayer and bold proclamation, to see a shift in the negative statistics around church decline, particularly among their age group. 

Having worked in ministry for nearly 20 years, I’m no stranger to presentations like these. They typically begin by addressing the need: a common one being the decline in church engagement among young people. Honestly, this section is usually filled with bleak statistics. 

A new story 

But as I prepared this latest one, it was impossible to ignore a new narrative emerging. We’ve all heard the stories of salvations at festivals, packed all-night prayer gatherings and dramatic moves of God such as the outpouring at Asbury University in 2023. These signs of a new dawn are not only happening in the US but also in the UK and Europe.  

The more a heart is given to God, the more a person will give to God

While full-blown revival may not be here (yet!) it is incredibly refreshing - and profoundly encouraging - to be able to share some of the extraordinary things God is doing. It used to be difficult to find good news stories to report on but, slowly, they’re becoming the norm.  

Even mainstream media outlets are talking about the positive faith statistics among Gen Z, with The Times recently reporting that Gen Z are “half as likely as their parents to identify as atheists”. 

Generosity in Gen Z 

Now, a study by Stewardship UK has found that “a clear link between regular Christian practice and increased generosity.” The report highlights that “Christians who practice their faith at least weekly give away almost five times the UK monthly giving average.”  

And the most fascinating part? You guessed it…it’s what God is doing among Gen Z.

According to this report, those aged between 18 and 24 years old donate the highest proportion of their income - giving away eleven per cent of their money. A massive 80 per cent of young Christians “give regularly to their church, the highest of all age groups”. This is the exact opposite of most secular surveys, which usally find that giving is highest among older generations.

Furthermore, young people were “almost twice as likely” to define themselves as a “Committed Christian” (those who attend church and read the Bible at least once a week) than others who were surveyed. 

These findings point towards a number of encouraging things for the future of the UK Church. 

Hope for the future 

Firstly, there is faith beyond events. Young people are not just attending events or seeking one-off encounters; their faith is making a tangible impact on their everyday lives, (aka discipleship). 

Secondly, increased giving means increased resources. More resources mean we can reach our nation with the gospel in word and deed like never before. 

Thirdly, leaders are rising up. Despite the negative headlines, the next generation are not despairing and retreating, they’re stepping up to be the leaders of tomorrow. 

When we give young people an opportunity to wholeheartedly follow Jesus, they’re ready to rise to a high bar

In our own ministry, we’ve already witnessed Gen Z’s generosity firsthand. Our first two financial donors were young people - one 18 years old and another a university student. These donations were spontaneous, unprompted and unasked for - they weren’t even part of an offering. 

I’m reminded of Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:21: “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” There appears to be a shift happening in the hearts of our young people. The increase in generosity being reported could well be evidence that the last few years of remarkable stories aren’t just deeply encouraging, they may signal a turning of the tide. 

Spiritual hunger 

So, what should we do about it? Clearly there’s a change happening in our nation, so don’t for one second think about giving up. Keep going! I also hope this report inspires us to continue to call young people deeper. When we give young people an opportunity to wholeheartedly follow Jesus, the evidence shows they’re ready to rise to a high bar.  

The increase in financial giving among Gen Z is no surprise when we consider the spiritual hunger sweeping through this generation. When young people pursue Jesus with radical passion, everything else - generosity, service, evangelism - follows. If we address the roots, we’ll notice a difference in the fruits.  

As the Stewardship reports suggests, these stats are “reinforcing the finding that deeper engagement in faith leads to greater generosity.” The more a heart is given to God, the more a person will give to God. While we’re still facing statistics of decline, there is an ever-increasing curiosity about faith and spirituality. Before us lies both an urgent task and a window of opportunity to reach the next generation.  

The question is, how will we respond?