By Luke Simon –
My generation is among the least churched adults in America, but zoomers who are in the church are quietly steering its worship in two directions at once.
On the one hand, some are flocking to more traditional and liturgical forms of Christianity like Eastern Orthodoxy. Though a lot of reporting on this trend has been more anecdote than data, a 2024 survey from the Orthodox Studies Institute found Orthodox parishes in the US have a rising number of converts, many of whom are young ex-Protestants.
On the other hand, contemporary Christian music (CCM) is thriving, led by artists like Maverick City Music, Elevation Worship, and Forrest Frank. CCM was the fourth fastest-growing music genre in the US in the first half of 2024, and market research indicates younger audiences are driving much of this growth.
So is Gen Z at worship traveling back in time or making its home in modernity? I believe that the answer is both at once—and that the primary worship divide in my generation isn’t random, nor is it strictly about theology, denomination, or politics (though it’s related to all of those). The main difference is sex. Zoomers gravitating toward traditional worship are mostly men, while CCM resonates primarily with women.
These aren’t rigid categories, of course. There’s plenty of crossover—I myself have been swept up by the emotional power of CCM and am sympathetic to friends who have ditched the auditorium for the cathedral. And there are churches that combine traditional liturgies with CCM songs.
But if this pattern generally holds, it points to a future where a growing sex divide extends beyond politics and other cultural preferences into our sanctuaries. It may become an increasing point of tension in Christian marriages—or, if young men and women sort themselves into different churches entirely, may be one factor keeping those marriages from happening at all.
For me, this divide is personal. These aren’t just national trends but stories I’ve seen in my own community, among my own friends. I don’t think these are isolated incidents, and I think they’ll be influential in the future of the American church.