Don’t settle for an impact smaller than you’re called to make. It's time to unlock your potential and lead confidently into a future filled with growth — for yourself, your church, and your mission. Get access to some of my best leadership content, only published in my newsletters.
On The Rise: What Gen Alpha Thinks about Life and Faith + How to Deal with the Hugger in Your Church
Published 2 days ago • 3 min read
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 research on how Gen Alpha (aka your student ministry) is feeling about life and faith, how to tell whether someone wants be greeted with a hug, handshake or wave, rebuilding a broken world, and what challenges reveal about you.
What Does Gen Alpha Think About Life and Faith
Everyone’s Talking about Gen Z, but there's a fresh generation emerging.
Barna has some new data on Gen Alpha, essentially, today’s teens aged 13-18. So what are they feeling?
The pressures they're feeling cluster around four themes—and they’re asking big questions. They fully realize they’re growing up in a digital AI era, and correspondingly, they’re wondering:
We used to debate opinions and agree on facts. Now we debate facts and call opinions truth.
AI is about to make that worse.
Soon no photo, video, or voice can be trusted at face value. The shared reality we argued inside of is gone.
When people can't tell what's real, they get exhausted. And they want something solid to stand on.
The good news? That's the opportunity for the church. Not to shout louder in the noise, but to be the place that's still anchored when everything else is up for grabs.
This Should Be Required Reading For Church People Who Hug Too Much
How to know when to greet someone with a hug, handshakes or wave.
You know that guy on the Host Team on Sundays who says “I’m a hugger” and then hugs everyone, including those who are squirming through the whole thing?
First, he should be required to read this. Second, maybe he shouldn’t be on the Host Team.
My mantra is “Greet people the way they want to be greeted.” This article shows you how to figure out how the person you’re meeting wants to be greeted.
1 in 5 Families Are Impacted By Disability
Make your church a place where every family belongs.
An estimated 1 in 5 families are affected by disability. Ministry teams want to help, but often haven't been equipped to do so.
Night to Shine, a ministry of the Tim Tebow Foundation, created a free guide that outlines 3 Books Every Pastor Should Read to Serve Those Impacted By Disability—recommended by trusted experts in the field. The list covers theology, personal experience, and practical ways to make your church more accessible.
No matter your role, this guide will help you better serve individuals and families impacted by disability.
I am re-reading this book this summer, not because my world is broken, but because I don’t want it to break. Gordon MacDonald wrote the best selling Ordering Your Private World, then had an affair, and had to rebuild his broken world. He has fascinating insights into lies, secrets, and the key to emerging out of a season of unfaithfulness to rebuild with integrity. Although this is almost 40 years old, it remains a great read.
Carey Nieuwhof Communications, PO Box 160, Oro Medonte, Ontario L0L 2X0
Carey Nieuwhof
Where 100,000+ leaders get top insights to thrive in life and leadership.
Don’t settle for an impact smaller than you’re called to make. It's time to unlock your potential and lead confidently into a future filled with growth — for yourself, your church, and your mission. Get access to some of my best leadership content, only published in my newsletters.
