Approximately 80 pastors and youth leaders gathered together for a special training on reaching Generation Z. Veliko Tarnovo, the ancient capital of Bulgaria, hosted the training from March 31 to April 2, 2023.
Jonatan Tejel, Inter-European Division (EUD) Youth Director and guest speaker, captivated the audience from the outset. He presented a detailed comparative analysis of several generations, starting with Baby Boomers and ending with Generation Alpha. Why are we who we are and why is the next generation who they are? The reasons and differences are numerous, with mission opportunities being one example.
“Gen Z is the one that has more connectivity when it comes to technology; they are always chatting on mobile devices. Gen X, my generation, did not have that. We were communicating face to face. To be outside, [doing] activities is not easy for Gen Zs. It is up to us to motivate them to do so. This is what makes the church different than it was in my youth. Gen Zs will get moving if we give them the reason to do so,” highlighted Tejel. {Those interested in Tejel’s diagnosis and treatment of the generations and ability to help pastors and youth leaders understand each other better may want to invite him as a guest speaker.}
Actually, one of the group activities in which the attendants got involved was to find ways to reach different Gen Z personas: world changer, digital native, adventurer, entrepreneur, gamer, influencer, LGBTQ+, and fashion addict.
Rigorous Bible study is a challenge in the age of instant gratification. Snapchat, TikTok, and Instagram are much more appealing to young people. However, if they—and the church—use some creative methods, the Bible comes alive.
Teenagers of any generation were hard to reach, and Gen Zs are no exception. The training participants learned 20 tips to connect with teens, and each creative way builds upon the previous one, forming a logical chain with excellent overall results. Then, each pastor sat with his youth leader to develop a Sabbath program targeting the young people in their respective churches.
Pastors and youth leaders alike appreciated the training. “It was very important to organize such a meeting in Bulgaria. The young people have a lot of things to say to the pastors and vice versa. And when two generations meet, the work becomes much more fruitful, and we can keep moving forward in our work for Jesus,” said Petya Gotseva, Youth Ministries director for the Bulgarian Union, as he recapitulated the weekend.
“The best part of the training was exchange with the pastors,” said Nino Marinov, a youth leader working with 16-to-20-year-olds. “We tell them how we think, and they tell us how they think. We just tried to find solutions to some problems, and I was amazed how well we can work together. This was [a] really cool thing.”
The original version of this story was posted on the Inter-European Division website.
