For the past two months, I’ve had the privilege of teaching a college class on Christian living. It’s been a fascinating window into the hearts and minds of college students navigating faith in a world that feels increasingly divided and disillusioned. If I had to sum up their perspective in three key observations, it would be this: they value relationships over institutions, care about the impact of actions more than ideology, and are tired of hype but looking for hope.

This generation has grown up watching institutions like churches, governments, even educational systems, lose credibility through scandals, hypocrisy, and empty promises. They’ve seen leaders say one thing and do another. They’ve watched movements prioritize influence over integrity. So when they hear the church talk about beliefs without action, commitment without care, or growth without depth, they check out.

Relationships Over Institutions

Students aren’t rejecting the idea of church; they’re rejecting a version of church that feels impersonal, transactional, or performative. They don’t care how big the church is, how polished the worship set sounds, or how many events are on the calendar. They want real community; mentors who listen, friendships that are honest, spaces where they can wrestle with faith without being shamed for their doubts.

When they find people who truly invest in their lives, who walk with them rather than preach at them, they lean in. They aren’t looking for a perfect church; they’re looking for a faithful one; a place where people love each other deeply and authentically.

Impact Over Ideology

Many churches have spent years refining their statements of faith, political stances, and theological boundaries. And while doctrine matters, students today are asking, “But what does it change?”

They don’t just want to hear about Jesus’ love; they want to see it in action. They don’t just want to talk about justice; they want to be part of a church that lives it out. They care less about whether a church aligns perfectly with their views and more about whether it’s actually making a difference in the world. If the church’s beliefs don’t lead to real transformation; in people, in communities, in how we treat one another; then the students I teach aren’t interested.

Hope Over Hype

This generation has been marketed to their whole lives. They’ve seen every branding trick, every influencer campaign, every attempt to make something seem bigger and better than it really is. They can spot inauthenticity from a mile away.

So when churches rely on flashy productions, trendy slogans, or emotional manipulation, students tune out. They aren’t looking for a show; they’re looking for substance. They’re tired of being hyped up only to be let down. What they want is hope; something real, something lasting, something that can sustain them through the complexities of life.

A Church That Listens

If the church wants to reach this generation, it has to stop assuming it already knows what they need. Instead, it needs to listen. It needs to step out of defensive postures and institutional anxieties and genuinely hear the hunger in students’ voices. They’re not asking for less of Jesus. They’re asking for a faith that looks like Him.

A faith that prioritizes people over power.
A faith that measures its impact not by numbers but by love.
A faith that isn’t afraid to admit its failures and grow from them.

They’re looking for something real. They want us to be more like Jesus. It will take a Christlike and faithful church will reach this generation.

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