#29 iZ Culture | The Anxiety Generation
Dr. Stephen Phinney: Generation Z, is navigating a world of rapid change, and they’re facing some serious challenges that shape their outlook and future.
Gen Z reports the highest levels of anxiety, depression, and stress among all generations. While they’re more open about mental health, access to affordable and culturally competent care remains a major barrier.
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While not all members of Generation Z despise the Church, a significant number have grown disillusioned with organized religion due to a variety of demonic cultural and personal factors.
Many Zers cite perceived hypocrisy, lack of authenticity, and the Church’s stance on social issues—such as LGBTQ+ rights, racial justice, and gender equality—as reasons for their departure. Others feel that traditional institutions have failed to address their mental stress points, spiritual trauma, or the complexities of modern life in a meaningful way. For some, the Church represents judgment rather than grace, exclusion rather than belonging. This disconnect has led many Gen Zers to seek spirituality outside institutional walls, crafting personal belief systems that feel more aligned with their values and lived experiences, which frequently leads them down a dark path. Yet, even amid this distancing, there remains a hunger for truth, purpose, and community—suggesting that the door to faith is not closed, but in need of being reopened with humility and compassion.
The rise of the “My Truth” movement has profoundly influenced Generation Z’s worldview, often replacing objective, unchanging biblical truth with personal experience as the ultimate authority. In a culture where feelings are elevated above facts, many Gen Zers have been taught that truth is fluid—something to be shaped by individual perspective rather than discovered through divine revelation. This shift has eroded their ability to accept unmovable biblical truths, such as the exclusivity of Christ, the reality of sin, and the authority of Scripture. As one commentator put it, when truth becomes internal and subjective, “you are your own guide”—a liberating yet terrifying prospect that leaves many spiritually adrift. Without a fixed point of reference, biblical truth is often dismissed as outdated or oppressive, rather than being embraced as the foundation for freedom, identity, and purpose, which can lead to defeat.
Suicide among Generation Z has risen to deeply alarming levels, marking it as one of the most urgent public health crises of our time. According to public health officials, over 50,000 Zers died by suicide in 2024, with a significant and troubling rise among young people under 25. Experts point to a combination of factors—rising depression rates, digital overload, social isolation, and economic uncertainty—as key drivers behind this surge. What’s especially sobering is that many Gen Z individuals are not only struggling silently but also facing a culture that often lacks the tools or compassion to intervene effectively. This generation is crying out for connection, purpose, and hope—and the numbers are a wake-up call that we cannot afford to ignore.
The worldly culture offers Generation Z a steady stream of quick fixes—dopamine hits from social media, curated identities, sexual diversity, self-help slogans, and consumer-driven comfort—to soothe their depression, but these substitutes often mask the pain rather than heal it. In promising freedom through self-expression and validation through digital applause, culture feeds the symptoms while starving the soul. What begins as relief can become addiction, isolation, and despair. The tragedy is that in trying to satisfy their deepest spiritual longings with shallow solutions, many are led further from the truth that could actually set them free. As Scripture warns, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death” (Proverbs 14:12).
Generation Z is coming of age in a world marked by unprecedented connectivity and profound disconnection.
While they are the most digitally fluent generation in history, they are also among the most mentally and spiritually burdened. Studies show that Gen Z reports higher levels of anxiety, depression, and loneliness than any previous generation. But beneath the statistics lies a deeper spiritual ache—a longing for authentic identity, purpose, and peace in a culture that often offers noise instead of Biblical meaning.
Scripture speaks directly to this kind of inner turmoil. “Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad” (Proverbs 12:25). Gen Z is weighed down not only by personal struggles but by a culture that often denies absolute truth and discourages dependence on God. Many have grown up in a post-Christian environment, where faith is seen as optional or outdated. Without a firm foundation, they are left to define themselves by themselves through shifting standards—social media likes, academic performance, or cultural trends. This spiritual instability breeds mental unrest.
Yet the gospel of Yeshua offers a radically different path. Yeshua/Jesus invites the weary and burdened to find rest in Him: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). The mental health crisis cannot be solved by therapy alone—though therapy is valuable—but must also be addressed at the soul level through Christ-centered discipleship. Gen Z needs more than coping mechanisms; they need a Savior. As one pastor put it, “We need more than religious programming—we need a genuine encounter with Jesus Christ.”
The Church has a vital role to play. By creating spaces of authenticity, offering biblical truth with compassion, and modeling Spirit-filled living, believers can help Gen Z rediscover the hope and healing found in Christ. The battle is not just psychological—it is spiritual. And the answer is not just wellness—it is wholeness in and through the indwelling Life of Yeshua.
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Why not also mention cases of say, lack of employment opportunities in many countries and how Church should respond? Not just in developing world like Indonesia, but also in places like South Korea with its notorious rat race culture. And this is a most Christianized part of East Asia.
Thank you so much for addressing this. I see Gen Z's short attention span (which has been reported as 8 seconds) and their struggle with focused reading, including the Bible.