Faith
Scripture-Centered Youth Ministry Urged
Faith Facts
- The Church faces challenges engaging Gen Z shaped by digital culture and complex issues of identity.
- Ashish Hirday stresses relational discipleship rooted in Scripture and empathy for young people.
- He advocates for parents to take a leading role in teaching biblical values at home, supported by the Church.
The rapid changes in today’s world have left churches seeking ways to connect with a generation questioning identity and morality. Ashish Hirday, of the World Evangelical Alliance Youth Commission, insists the foundation must be God’s Word and not shallow programming.
He said
“Many pastors understand what young people are going through, and they want to help.”
“But the problem is how to help.”
“Seminaries never trained us to have counseling talks about issues like sexuality or identity.”
“Those conversations are happening now whether the church is ready or not.”
Hirday observes that pastors often lack the relational skills needed to walk alongside youth wrestling with tough questions. Listening with true compassion and addressing past hurts is essential to meaningful discipleship.
He said
“If someone comes to church and says, ‘I’m gay,’ we immediately say, ‘He’s a sinner.'”
“But we don’t listen further.”
“We don’t ask what happened in that person’s past or what led to this point.”
He draws from Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman, noting the balance between acknowledging sin and showing hope.
He said
“Jesus knew her sin, but He still spoke into her life, naming her reality while offering hope.”
“That’s what changes people—truth with compassion.”
In his own ministry, Hirday has seen genuine transformation by welcoming people as they are and nurturing real relationships based on the gospel. Emphasizing love opens hearts and allows truth to take root.
Formation, Hirday believes, starts at home—parents must reclaim their biblical duty to train up children in God’s ways. He urges churches to equip parents, not replace them, and calls for better training on parenting within seminaries.
He said
“More than pastors, parents have the key role in speaking about sexuality and identity.”
“And not just about biology, but about the deeper questions of purpose, temptation, and boundaries that their children face.”
Bridging generational gaps, especially with Gen Z, takes humility and a willingness for leaders to step down from authority and truly listen. Hirday shares that genuine relationships grow when leaders approach youth as friends and co-learners rather than just authority figures.
He said
“When leaders insist on keeping a distance, they lose the ability to influence.”
“But when we show vulnerability, we gain respect.”
Finally, he calls for deeper mentorship—life-on-life investment that breaks out of formal structures and lives out the love of Christ through everyday moments. The future of the Church depends on passing down faith through families, humble leaders, and genuine discipleship centered on Scripture.
Invest in the next generation by equipping parents, practicing empathy, and bringing God’s Word to the heart of youth ministry. Together, we can nurture faith that stands firm and lights the way for our children and nation.