About the report
Gen Z Insights for Global Student Ministry
How do Gen Z’s defining characteristics impact Christian ministry among today’s university students? A new report published by IFES explores four features of this distinctive demographic and unpacks their implications for ministry.
The report examines the following traits of Gen Zers across multiple countries: digital immersion, cultural awareness, pursuit of wellbeing, and spiritual openness.
“The profound shifts we’re seeing among Gen Z signal a potentially very exciting moment for global student ministry, presenting opportunities and challenges. The report offers practical frameworks for ministry adaptation and intergenerational collaboration in our rapidly evolving global student context. I hope and pray it will kickstart discussions about how to effectively partner with Gen Z to help advance Christ’s kingdom in the world’s universities.”
– Peter Dray, author of the report, Gen Z Insights for Global Student Ministry
Why?
In response to a need expressed by its network of student movements, IFES commissioned this report to seek out practical, contextual applications for working with Gen Z students and younger staff.
Although studies on this demographic have been published by other organizations, they have been conducted largely in the West. Most Gen Z students live in the Majority World, with more than a quarter in South Asia alone.
The report is designed to offer perspectives – not only through a western lens – but from listening at the grassroots level of the diverse IFES network, and to provide a starting point for deeper discussions.
How?
In 2025, IFES commissioned Peter Dray to explore what experiences exist within its fellowship. Peter has more than 20 years of student ministry experience with UCCF, the IFES movement in the UK.
The report draws on interviews and focus groups conducted with students, staff, and leaders from various parts of the IFES network. Peter visited or consulted with students and staff from: the United Kingdom, Ireland, Kenya, Singapore, Hong Kong, Timor-Leste, and two nations in the Middle East/North Africa.
Key findings:
- Digital immersion has shaped what Gen Z values. For example, in communication, they prefer brevity with depth and are looking for authenticity. “My friends want to see that Christianity is real, not just right,” one student commented.
- Information overload and instant access to spiritual resources online means students may need guidance to move from knowing about Jesus to truly encountering him.
- Greater cultural awareness and connectivity have created a dual dynamic in which Gen Z feels a sense of shared generational identity, yet individual identity has also become increasingly important. This highlights a need to foster student communities that celebrate God-given differences while finding deeper unity in Christ.
- Increased diversity in the student body means that today’s student ministry is intercultural. Students and staff need to be equipped to bridge cultural boundaries with the gospel, and ministries need to ensure that leadership structures reflect the ethnic diversity on campuses.
- Gen Z prizes living better, not just living longer. Digital fatigue and mental health challenges were major concerns expressed in every country studied. Gen Zers expect the communities around them, including the church and student groups, to support their quest for wellbeing. Student ministries need to consider how to respond.
- Today’s students are increasingly spiritually open. In every country visited, students reported that their generation is more willing than their parents to change spiritual beliefs. Yet in a world where spiritual exploration is fluid and personalized, ministries need to find ways to present the uniqueness of Christ.
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