Unlocking Ancient Wisdom to reach Gen Z's for Christ

Can't figure out Gen Z, pastor?

You want to reach and disciple Gen Z, right? Even though many churches and ministries seem to have cracked the "Gen Z" code, you're struggling to make headway.

So, where do you start? The same place churches and missions throughout history start: figure out who they are and how they think so you can connect. These folks are characterized by:

• Digital fluency

• Institutional skepticism

• A desire for authenticity

• Focus on social justice, personal identity, and mental health

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So, how do we take that information and create a plan to reach them with the gospel and support them in their relationship with Christ? Start by listening to Clement of Alexandria (150-215) instead of church marketers, pollsters, and the latest headline preacher.

Clement was a master of engaging culture. His emphasis on practical wisdom and his proven ability to connect the concerns of a diverse audience to the gospel show us how it is done. By reading Clement, we learn how to state biblical principles in ways that captivate those in the Gen Z cohort.

Why Clement of Alexandria?

Clement was a teacher and apologist who lived in a cosmopolitan, pluralistic society in Alexandria, Egypt. Christians were a minority navigating a culture saturated with Greek philosophy, pagan religions, and intellectual skepticism. He preached to people similar to the secular, digitally driven, and ideologically diverse Gen Z.

His works Paedagogus (The Instructor) and Stromata (Miscellanies), teach us four things about reaching such people.

Engage culture without compromising faith. Clement saw that philosophical truth prepared people for the truth, like the Law prepared Israel for the Messiah.

Clement's suggestions

• Learn the Gen Z culture--their worldviews, how they see and use social media, the music they listen to, and why, the social issues that motivate them to action. Remember that understanding does not mean endorsing.

• Meet them in their world, don't expect them to enter yours first.

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Be authentic and relational when you teach and preach. Clement viewed Jesus as the "tutor" who personally guided believers by Word and Spirit. His relational, mentorship approach aligns neatly with Gen Z's desire for authenticity and personal connections.

Clement's suggestions

• Find time outside the traditional worship service to connect with them.

• Give them your time to mentor them in the faith.

• Model practical godly living in a manner worthy of being imitated.
  

Face the hard issues. Clement tackled the intellectual objections to Christianity head-on, appealing to Gen Z's inquisitive nature and interest in being exposed to diverse worldviews.

Clement's suggestions

• Preach the hard sayings of Jesus

• Teach the difficult verses they're asking about

• Don't apologize or temporize--tell it true--and they will respect youy

Meet them in their world. Just as Clement sought signs of God's providence, the occasional truth in the worldviews of his age, you must watch for the sparks of God's truth in the platforms, passions, and conversations of those you wish to reach.

Clement's suggestions

• If you're not already, get social media savvy.

• Use social media to connect with authentic content, not polished stories.

• Show them how Christianity connects with their values without diluting the gospel.

Conclusion

Clement of Alexandria’s blend of cultural engagement, practical discipleship, and relational teaching makes him the Ante-Nicene Father best suited to guide pastors reaching Gen Z.

He would advise you to meet them in their digital, social, and personal spaces, model authentic faith, and point to Christ as the answer to their longings.

© 2025 All Rights Reserved Lavern Brown