Ep. 93 | The Church Trends Leaders Can't Ignore in 2026

Something unexpected is happening in the church, and thoughtful leaders are paying attention. After years of decline, Gen Z is beginning to re-engage with faith, while long-standing models of church and discipleship are being quietly reshaped.

In this episode of the History Makers Leadership Podcast, Daniel is joined by Norival Trindaji, ILI Vice President of Training, to explore key church trends shaping 2026 and beyond. Drawing from current research and lived leadership experience, they unpack why authenticity, spiritual family, and relational discipleship are resonating deeply in a digital world marked by noise, misinformation, and isolation.

The conversation also addresses a surprising demographic shift within the church, with more men remaining engaged while fewer women are staying connected, and what this means for leaders who want to respond with wisdom, compassion, and intentionality. Throughout the episode, Daniel and Norival return to a simple but powerful truth: lasting transformation happens through relationships, not programs.

This episode will encourage pastors, Christian leaders, and emerging influencers to rethink how they invest in people, form disciples, and lead faithfully in a rapidly changing culture. Tune in to gain insights on how to lead with clarity, courage, and hope in this moment.  

Resources:
7 Disruptive Church Trends That Will Rule 2026 - https://careynieuwhof.com/church-trends-2026

Transcript

Setting The Stage: 2026 Trends

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Hey, welcome to the History Makers Leadership Podcast. Listen, we're going to be looking today at the seven church trends that Carrie Neuhoff sees for the year 2026. And we're going to look at the first two specifically, looking at, man, how incredible. Gen Z is entering into the church at unprecedented levels. They're really seeing some incredible momentum and movement. There's also some concerns there. We're seeing some uh changes in other demographics. We're seeing more men joining. Praise God. We're also seeing less women a part of the conversation. It's gonna be a good conversation today for Christian leaders who are seeking to uh just kind of navigate this moment in church history. Thankful to be joined by Norval Trindaji Allies, Vice President of Training, as we look at some of these things uh and some of the impact that that can have in this moment in history. It's gonna be a great conversation. Norval, I'm excited to sit with you and uh and talk through this. You know, Kerry Newhoff, uh, an incredibly trusted source for leadership conversations uh for Christian leaders, uh, not only here in the States, but I think uh he's got a pretty global audience as well, Canadian. Um and he recently released what he's kind of identified as uh seven disruptive church trends. Uh and I'd love for us to just spend a couple of minutes breaking them down, uh talking through them together, uh, and offering some additional thoughts or commentary uh over those. Um how's that sound to you?

Coffee, Context, And Sources

SPEAKER_01 1:22

Absolutely. And uh actually, uh Kerry has been producing uh those or putting out those trends. Um it it hasn't been every year, but he started in 2016, I think. Really? I didn't realize he didn't say that. So he's got it's interesting to look because he's got pre-COVID and post-COVID uh church trends. It was a lot different back then. It was another area. So, but yes, I've been um for the last several years, I've kind of followed it uh in you know, every beginning of the year when he puts them out, I've followed it. And I've it's very some very interesting things happening in the church, and he's got a good pulse on pulse on it. I don't know that he's always right, but he uh he get it's a it's a good way for us to think ahead, think about how how we're going to lead, um, whether it's church or nonprofit or you know any businessman, uh any ministry um or even business, because it gives you a little a picture of the state of the Christian faith in America, obviously. It's not this is not a global um thing, but but it but in this day and age, uh what happens in North America of in Europe often, but mostly North America often triggers to the rest of the world. Yeah. And we're happy to do it. Well, um, I do have to mention that we have this amazing coffee from Costa Rica that Leo Jimenez brought to us uh last week, and so we get to enjoy some of it. So if I take a sip in between questions, um don't be offended.

Trend One: Gen Z Momentum

SPEAKER_00 2:56

I won't be. And uh and Leo, I just want to say thank you, man. Uh it's always good to have a good cup of coffee. Uh okay. Well, Norval, uh, the first trend that that Kerry kind of brings up is uh is a generational one. Um, you know, I I come from what is often called that millennial generation. I think you fit into that boomer generation.

SPEAKER_01 3:13

I am maybe boomer tail end of boomer.

SPEAKER_00 3:14

Tail end of boomer.

SPEAKER_01 3:16

Well, not so much. Nine born in 1958. So yeah. 64. 64 is kind of the last uh of that generation.

SPEAKER_00 3:22

So well, one of the things that Kerry's pointing out is how um, you know, some of the recent surge or growth that has been seen in the church, praise God, uh, has actually been among the Gen Z. Uh what's some of your read on that? What's some of your your impressions on that? What do you think about what he's doing?

From Despair To Desperation To Jesus

SPEAKER_01 3:37

You know, that started last year. You remember uh we actually uh recorded an episode. Um the notes will be uh the the link to episode will be on the notes that where we talked about a thing, uh a report called the the silent or quiet revival. Yes. Uh that was coming out of the UK, right? Coming out of the UK, the uh I think the Bible Society of the Bible Society of the United Kingdom put out this report stating uh just a fact. It's not a it's not a state uh uh a statement on a spiritual state of the church or anything like that. It's just uh the attestation that uh the the church attendance among Gen Z has surged. I think it was four times what it was um in years before in the UK. That's right. Now, um I I don't think there's a there might be similar studies in America. Barna might have done it. Um but what seems to be happening is that the Gen Z is going back to church in larger numbers than past generations. And what is interesting is that a couple years ago, I think it was 24 or 25, that his report said that the the Gen Z were the largest unchurched generation. So they were unchurched, but they were spiritually curious, then they were open to spiritual things.

SPEAKER_00 5:10

Well, I I love the quote that that's here in this trends sheet, and it just says this Gen Z's gone from despair to desperation, and that's driven many to Jesus. And I think that's been my observation. You know, my wife and I, we care a lot about uh Gen Z and um try to spend as much time as we can investing in the next generation. Uh, and I think where Christian leaders should should recognize the critical opportunity is is as there's a generation that is so earnest and desiring, uh, and it's driven out of a real sense of the the answers of the world have been lacking. The answers of the world have been insufficient. Uh, and so they're they're hungering for deeper truth, they're hungering for um more uh more understanding. Uh, you know, I I uh I was listening to another um just well-known uh commentator on the the state of the church, and and he said, You got you've got so many more showing up to church wanting to grow, not just wanting their need, their felt needs to be answered, right? They're wanting to to grow in their faith, and that's shifting how they're having to preach and teach. Uh, and I think as Christian leaders, this is a key opportunity, whether it's in our church or our business, to find those Gen Z who are curious, find those Gen Z who have moved from despair to desperation and begin to introduce them to uh practicing the way of Jesus. Right. You know, I I think one of the more heartbreaking elements of the first part of this report is that even among that generation where church attendance is the highest, it's still less than half of the visits. Right. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 6:39

When they say it's going, it's going up, it's going up from a very small beginning, but it it is.

Attendance Reality And Practice Gap

SPEAKER_00 6:45

Growth is growth. But at the same time, I think to myself, wow, to have separated in our minds the practices of the Christian faith from the identity of Christ, right? Our our identity in Christ is no longer connected to the practices of his way. It's just this self-given identity. But I think that's what the generation is longing for, is to reconnect um being and doing into a singular uh idea. And that's what that's what the Christian faith has been for millennia long.

Craving Authenticity And Truth

SPEAKER_01 7:12

So that's there to me, what I've read and heard, there's two things on w about Gen Z. You know, one is that search for for authenticity, yes, uh, for a real faith. The other thing, um, and that comes from the proliferation of of fake stuff, uh fake news, uh, and now, you know, deep fake AI images that you that you you cannot tell uh from from from the real thing. Well, in a world where you can't believe any anything, and and Gen Z is a generation that grew together with the idea of online, grew together with social media, grew together with uh what we used to call uh uh internet web point web 2.0, remember? Yeah, yeah, yeah. And so all of that, we know that all of that disappoints because it the algorithm either reinforces your beliefs and whatever you think, or it feeds you fake stuff. And so they they come to church and there is the the Bible, the word of God, the God that is the same, that's right that was, is, and will be the alpha, the omega. Um, a faith that has endured for 2,000 years.

SPEAKER_00 8:29

That's right. And a faith that is built around relationship, right? I think that's part of what the the generation is longing for is something relational. Everything they've had in terms of those digital relationships have been algorithmically filtered. Yeah, and so they've had more of a relationship with their algorithm than they have with the people on the other side of it. But our faith is relational by its very nature.

SPEAKER_01 8:50

Uh, you know, the whole story of the gospel is God in relationship with his created beings, uh, because he's good and gracious and faithful, uh, and sin breaking that, but him finding a means to redeem and that's and that's the second aspect that I was talking about is that they would they're seeking relationships. Yeah. Um obviously, online relationships uh have failed them. Um unfortunately, a lot are still investing in online and even even um AI relationships today. But for those who have seen it for what it is, and who have been disappointed, terribly disappointed with with everything online, those are the ones that are seeking, and they're open. Uh again, uh comes to mind the story that we heard from London of this pastor that was on the phone in the tube talking about something about church. He hung up his phone. One of the passengers that was sitting next to him, a young guy, said, Hey, you're talking about church. Um, or did you go to church or something? He says, Yeah. And he says, Well, I started to read my Bible and I have these questions. Where could I find a place where I could talk about it?

SPEAKER_00 10:07

Yeah.

Relationships Over Algorithms

SPEAKER_01 10:07

And he he gently invited him to his church. He came to the church. Long story short, gave his life to Jesus, is now following Christ. Um, but that that interest, you know, out of that he didn't have to do anything. All he had to do is um the the the guy eavesdropped his on his conversation, yeah, and that led him to faith. That openness is where um us, if we can build a community of faith, that is a true community of openness and of of um sincere love and faith. And and uh it's it's that that is what they're looking for. That's what's going to draw them to the church. So yeah.

SPEAKER_00 10:55

Well, I and I think the message for for Christian leaders in this moment is to is to recognize that that generation is coming, look for them, find them, walk with them, disciple them, because that's what they're looking for. That despair, that desperation is leading them to want to be discipled in the ways of Jesus. Uh, and that doesn't mean just the the feel-good aris. Yeah. It means the hey, this is how God meets us in the midst of suffering. Uh, this is a generation that has experienced different elements of suffering, right? Um, you know, there was the I would say some of the Gen X and millennial generations, uh, you know, they pictured a future uh in utopic forms, right? Um even in media, you would sometimes have you kind of these future utopias. Uh but the Gen Z, uh a little bit of the millennial, the there's less utopia. It's more no, like wait a second, I I would graduate high school and there was this huge economic crash that we never expected. Or I was um you know trying to enter the workforce and and no one was hiring. And so suddenly I've got all this debt from school and and loans and all these things. And again, it's a really American context. But um, for the for the Christian leader today, see that generation and begin to make disciples. Um, but you know, that isn't the only demographic difference that that Carrie's pointing to in this article.

Openness Stories And Community

SPEAKER_01 12:12

Yeah, the number two I mean trend is is very disturbing if in in a way. No, sure. That men are coming to church, women are going away.

SPEAKER_00 12:24

Uh that is a huge shift in gosh, as far as I can understand, the history of of the Western church writ large, uh certainly for the past hundred years, has been one that has been uh at the very least socially and and driven through through the ladies, right? It's it's mom or grandmom bringing me into church to to hear the gospel and to be taught. Um, and yet you've had generally male absence, right? Or or in some senses, even the absence of uh male leadership in in any of the respects. And that that's carried, I think, some some pretty dire consequences. But this report is pointing to actually an increase in male attendance in congregations. Where do you think some of that's coming from?

A Leader’s Invitation To Disciple

SPEAKER_01 13:09

You know, uh I I I I can relate to to the shift. I was a missionary for 10 years, and I plastered and pastored and planted a church in Latin America, more specifically in Paraguay. And you had to be very intentional in building relationships with guys, bringing men and discipling men. And I was, and and our church was unusually healthy because we had a significant minority of men. It wasn't a majority, but we had, but but some of the churches had, you know, where you would you would peak the low what we call the whole the low-hanging fruit. And so these churches had more women and children than anything else. And it it is true uh all over the world, yeah, uh, because it historically has been easier, I guess, to uh to evangelize women. Um, but it seems like, at least in the West, the women are the more resistant ones uh to the gospel at this at this point. Yeah. And I mean you can do all kinds of analysis and figure out why that's doing, but the fact is we need to somehow work to correct that.

Trend Two: Men Up, Women Down

SPEAKER_00 14:27

Well, uh, yeah, I I think I think it's it's a detriment when either gender is missing. Right, yeah. You know, Jesus came to save all. Um, and and I think as Christian leaders, there should be an intentional uh evaluation of those things. Um first, yeah, I think we we should do some some heart check. Hey, are we are we unintentionally, you know, uh uh mixing uh political messaging in a detrimental way that's that's pushing one away and and drawing another? Uh but I also think the opposite or the you know the the counter is is true to say, hey, we're now suddenly reaching young men, praise God, right? We we want to have reached them. Um how are we ensuring that we are discipling them? What are the differences that God has created? I mean, I think he created male and female, and I think those differences are are good and and and God blessed, and and together I think we we reflect the full image of God in creation, and that's a good thing. So, how are we uniquely ministering to the now influx of young men that are stepping into our congregations? Uh the way in which we minister to them and disciple them, raise them up in the faith uh is critical. And Norval also point out, I and I don't think this is just a Western thing, but we've got to acknowledge the the changing of the family over the past 30 years, right? The the increased uh the divorce rates in in fatherless homes and all these kinds of things have created a context where there's a unique opportunity for young men to be discipled by other men in the faith such that it creates generational change in the you know the the we talk about Christian leaders need to practice family priority, right? And the God's looking for men and women who practice family priority, and so we've got to we've got to equip those young men to lead in that context.

SPEAKER_01 16:12

That's it's a tremendous opportunity because I had never really stopped to think about it, but if you consider the core value of family priority comes more naturally to women than it does to men. Sure. Or at least historically it did.

SPEAKER_00 16:28

Yeah, yeah.

Understanding The Gender Shift

SPEAKER_01 16:29

Um and so being able to teach these this this influx of men uh to prioritize their families, whether they have it or they will establish it in the future, um, I think is a tremendous, a tremendous uh benefit to uh to the body of Christ, which which takes us to one of the trends that's gonna appear down the road or uh in the list, that that I've the I I believe the church in general, for the most part, has failed miserably, which is discipleship, true discipleship. I think one of the greatest uh failures um has been that of not giving enough no not recognizing the centrality of discipleship for the kingdom of God, for the the the the the church. That idea that I've been hearing more and more and using more, the the idea of an apprentice to Jesus. You know, we are um it when we teach ILI, we talk about where if you making converts is first of all is not what Jesus asked us to do. He asked us to make disciples. That's right. And disciples are uh uh are people who are learning to be like Jesus by the grace of God. And that and unfortunately, that is not in in some places we've turned discipleship into a course, right, uh, a curriculum, an intellectual exercise. An intellectual exercise, exchange of of knowledge about Jesus, about the Bible, even about theology.

SPEAKER_00 18:18

Well, Norval, I uh even the beginning of this report, I found I found this particular statistic uh uh both a true reflection of my observation, but also just heartbreaking. It it makes this distinction. It says 48% of US Christians are non-practicing Christians. 24% are practicing. And I think to myself, you know, when I think of the Great Commission, it says teaching them to obey all that I've commanded. Yeah. Wait a minute. 48% are non-practice. How how can we even have the phrase non-practice in the world? Right.

SPEAKER_01 18:51

And this is it's a it's a uh it's a non-makes no sense. Yeah. And yet that's that's the kind of Christianity that the last hundred years has has brought up. And I guess other than just you know throwing rocks at the windows of the church, and uh the idea that there are a lot of there isn't there is a resurgence, there is an awakening to the need for discipleship elsewhere, everywhere.

Family Priority And Formation

SPEAKER_00 19:21

Okay, so I I want to hone in on this, and and I know we've only got a few minutes left in in this particular episode, Norval. So I'd like to just ask this question. We've got a Gen Z on the rise, they're showing more interest than ever. We see this shift in in men and women attending church. Um, what are maybe two or three just succinct things that we could offer to a Christian leader that that's wanting to be a part of this critical moment in the body of Christ? I mean, my my first thought is hey, Christian leader, find a Gen Z that you can be walking alongside with. They want discipleship. I believe discipleship happens in the context of deep relationship. Invite them to dinner at your home, invite them over to the house for some coffee, have uh uh the personal bandwidth uh in your time and in your life to be able to invest in their life. And uh I think particularly there's a call, Christian men, there are so many young men that are desperate for this, step into it. I again, my story was men in my church, my father died when I was 11, men in my church stepping in, helping to fill that gap, discipling me into what does it mean to be a Christian man in a in a family, in a home, in a community. If I hadn't had their examples, if if if men like Horace LeFaver or Charlie Goff or J. Adair had not set those examples in my life, uh I wouldn't be in the position that I am today with with um a family that I have today. So what what what's what are some things that we might offer to the Christian leaders trying to navigate this moment?

SPEAKER_01 20:50

Daniel, I think it's it's not even th some things. It's what you said. It's one thing. Find somebody and start walking alongside of them because that's what discipleship is anyway. Now, as you apprentice under Jesus, bring somebody alongside with you. And and I like the idea of of of making of taking the place of a missing father, whether by death in your case, but by absence, by negligence in many, many cases, or or by decision. Yeah. You know, women decide to have kids solo. That's true. And um, and and so those those, and that's not even only Gen Z. There's the alpha, you know, the alphas coming. Oh, yeah. Uh yeah. They're they they are the ones that can be molded, that can be really discipled. But I think it's one thing. It's I like what you said, make bandwidth in your life to invest in at least one other. life.

The Discipleship Deficit

SPEAKER_00 22:01

It just seems to me to be to be the the critical factor here. And and Norval, I I don't think it again, I'm thinking from from as a as a man to to other young men, but I think it's true for ladies, right? You know, you know, we've talked about it before my wife has been just used by God graciously in the lives of several other young women. I think that's needed. I think that that's valuable. If we've got young ladies leaving the church for you know any number of reasons, it's a critical moment to to step in to that gap and to to walk alongside them and say, no, no, we want to we want to walk together in this in this Jesus way and and to see God begin to bear fruit in the midst of that. You know, uh as we sit here recording, uh there's things going on in Iran, there's things going on in Venezuela, there's things going on in Ukraine and in Israel and in all around the world. I think there's elections going on even right now in Uganda for a new president in the midst of some internet outages and some other issues. There's so many elements of turmoil. But I love what the the the Church of Venezuela sent the there was a um a group in Venezuela that just sent out a message just asking for prayer. And essentially one of the elements was hey we know that God is working all these things out and we know that the the the holistic whole life that we long to see as a country is a fruit of God in his presence in his kingdom through his people. That's where we'll really see the transformation come in. And so in the midst of all these elements of turmoil when we see in our community that there's brokenness, that there's hurt, that there's heartache, it's actually a call for us to step in as a Christian leader called to a space to say we're going to be a power a part of bringing the kingdom of heaven through the gospel message to the people around us.

Practicing Faith Versus Labeling Faith

SPEAKER_01 23:39

And and as an individual or as a family I can't I can't possibly disciple an entire city. No but I but I can do I can engage with one person. And and there's there's one if there's one thing I would add to this is that all of this be done in community. Amen whether it's a small group a house church or a church in the traditional sense of the of the word uh engage with people and bring them into your community of faith engage in that community of faith uh because that's the on that's how that's how discipleship happens anyway discipleship is not you know two two um hermits living in the in the in the boonies no and and discipling each other but it is two people relating to each other in the context of a of a of a smaller of a bigger group of that that call themselves family or the family of God.

Practical Steps For Leaders

SPEAKER_00 24:43

Amen amen this is the church this is the bride absolutely it is amen well hey listen I hope that this has been an encouragement to you uh seeing some of the trends that are happening in the church today if you're not engaging with that next generation or some of the young men or some women some of the young women that are part of your community of faith I'm going to encourage you this is a critical moment. Everybody starting off with new things toward the start of a year it doesn't matter if you're reading listening to this or watching this in February or March or whenever it's a great moment today to take the initiative to go make a disciple to walk along in relationship with uh someone in your circle helping them to discover the better way of Jesus. Listen Christian leaders there are so many faithful practices of Christian leaders uh in fact we talk about and teach eight core values uh an essential one is multiplying other leaders we've got to see more individuals raised up and equipped to accomplish God's vision and mission uh across the world we want to see transformation I think the best way to bring the gospel is a local leader. So if you want to find more resources about those kinds of things go to iliteam.org. There you can discover not only those eight core values uh but some different ways to get plugged into this global network of men and women.

SPEAKER_01 25:50

Norville as always I love getting a chance to talk through some of these things we only hit on two of them so uh maybe in this next episode we can hit on a few more absolutely yes because they are interesting they're they're all very interesting and very insightful um and we need we need to be um aware of the times we need to be um aware of what's going on so that we can respond um with the gospel that's right with Jesus because he is the answer amen