Welcome to the On The Rise newsletter, where I feature fascinating, helpful, and sometimes curious content that caught my attention this week.

Today, some fresh paradoxical data. Gen Z men love the church, but Gen Z women, not so much.

Also, new data on ChatGPT and mental health, the art of spending money, and a video that will make you feel good about being human again.

Gen Z Women Are Struggling in Faith

They pray less and read scripture less than other groups.

Last week in this newsletter, I shared data showing that Gen Z men were flocking to Christianity and the church.

This week, the flip side. When it comes to Gen Z women, the opposite is increasingly true.

And their church attendance is evidence of it, with Gen Z women having the lowest reported church attendance of any group.​

The research doesn’t explain why, but this trend is definitely worth investigating.

7 Church Trends That Will Disrupt 2026

The shifts no church leader can afford to ignore.

Every January, I release my Church Trends Report to help you see what’s really changing in the church and culture.

And 2026 might be one of the most surprising years yet.

From Gen Z’s surge in church attendance to algorithms quietly shaping discipleship and the AI revolution most churches still aren’t ready for, there are seven trends that will challenge how we think about ministry next year.

I’m unpacking it all inside The Art of Leadership Academy, with the full report, leader guide, a live event, and a brand-new podcast series.

Join the insiders who’ll be first to see all seven trends when they’re released in January. Click here for first access.

Join Now

Over a Million People a Week Talk to ChatGPT About Suicide

Is AI making mental health worse?

OpenAI, the parent company of ChatGPT, released data on mental health and chatbots that should have every church leader sitting up and paying attention.

ChatGPT has an astonishing 800 million weekly users, and over a million of them talk to ChatGPT about suicide.

Far more struggle with mental health. Still others get led down rabbit holes and end up with ‘AI psychosis.’

My guess is this is only going to get worse, not better, despite the controls AI companies put in. Perhaps we were designed by God to connect primarily with each other, not machines.

In any event, this article will catch you up on how people in your church are using and responding to AI.​

Is Your Church’s Software Still Aligned With Your Mission?

Evaluate what’s working and make confident decisions for the future.

Your current church management software may have served you well. But is it still helping you grow, connect, and steward effectively?

As ministry grows and changes, the tools you use may need to evolve too, especially if systems are disconnected or not doing everything you need.

​The Buyer’s Guide to Church Management Software helps you lead your team toward wise, mission-driven decisions. Download the guide to:

• Spot signs it may be time for a change
• Know what features really support ministry impact
• Ask insightful questions when exploring options
• Make an informed, thoughtful selection

Get the Free Guide

What if You Helped Everybody, Not Just ‘Your People’?

KLM did that, and it’s so moving.

Will Guidara recently linked to a KLM video that tells the story of how the Dutch Airline spent a week trying to help any traveler resolve problems, not just KLM fliers.

If you have two minutes and want to feel inspired and great about being alive, watch it. It beckons back to an earlier era (that video was posted in 2014).

Time to recapture some of that human love and connection we’ve lost in the last decade.

Cheering for you,

Weekend Watching

N.T. Wright

NT Wright discusses the forces that formed him into the scholar, priest, and writer he is today: his early influences, his calling, and what he gave up to pursue his writing. He shares his views on spiritual warfare and the problem of Christians demonizing their enemies.