“This generation tends to believe there’s something out there more powerful than them,” said the researchers of The Barna Group's new report, “The Open Generation: United States.” In fact, the data shows that 77% of surveyed teenagers are motivated to learn about Jesus. An additional 52% are “very motivated.” Less than 20% feel otherwise, and only 7% are unsure.

“[T]eens express interest in Jesus,” the report stated, and many of them are approaching “faith differently than previous generations.” For these younger generations, “authenticity and relevance are key,” and they’re asking “difficult questions” about who Jesus is and how Scripture relates to the world they live in. As the researchers went on to express, “This is encouraging news.”

In fact, over the years, there have been many reports showing similar trends, causing researchers to be hopeful that we’ll see more and more generations take time to learn about Jesus and faith. As The Christian Post reported, “The findings [from this most recent research] are similar to Pew Research data published in 2018, which showed that … 80% of Americans say they believe in God.” However, regarding both glimmers of hope, shadows loom over the research, causing one to wonder just how positive the news is.

In the Pew research, even though 80% said they believed in God, “only a slim majority of the nation’s approximately 327 million people were found to believe in God as described in the Bible.” And when it comes to the group's research, teens may be “motivated” to learn about Jesus, but “many remain hesitant to embrace religion or churchgoing.”

Most would agree with the researchers when they concluded that “church leaders should recognize that teens’ openness to learning about Jesus represents a significant opportunity for meaningful engagement.” I also agree to their urging that, to take full advantage of this opportunity, it will require “a thoughtful approach given Gen Z’s hesitancy toward religion and the Church.”

When I read the results of Barna’s recent research, I don’t find myself too concerned about the church’s ability to evangelize. And yet, as I read the fact that many aren’t too sure about fully embracing faith, or even attending church, it makes me think of the people that may be hearing the gospel but don’t see a lot of follow through after the fact. This is exactly why Barna’s research, as encouraging as it seems on the outset, actually serves as a reminder for our need for discipleship.

A mighty flaw of many churches around the world, at least from my perspective, is the slippery slope of the push to evangelize while forgetting just how important discipleship is. We’re encouraged by pastors to share the gospel at work, school, with family and friends, and just about anywhere we can think of. And that is great. But what about after?

It’s wonderful to see polls and surveys that show people are willing to learn more about faith and that people believe in a higher power. It’s encouraging when researchers discover that people are buying more Bibles, or that they’re asking more questions. But where are the surveys that say, “More people are proclaiming faith and maintaining it”? Which polls have you read recently that explain how evangelism has caused the percentage of Americans holding an actual biblical worldview to rise? Last time I checked, only 4% of U.S. adults held a worldview that aligns with the Bible’s key tenets.

If it’s true that interest for Jesus is going up and that more people believe in God and are buying Bibles, why is that number so low?

Of course, I don’t have all the answers here. But part of why I ask the question is to hopefully get more Christians to realize that true evangelism when paired with genuine discipleship should be leading to an increased percentage of people holding a biblical worldview. And yet, as research suggests, people are evangelizing, people are listening, and that number stays the same. Therefore, the missing link seems not to be evangelism, but discipleship.

Pastor and theologian Burk Parsons once said, “Those who say, ‘If you become a Christian, all your troubles will be over’ have no clue what true Christianity is. It’s only when we become Christians that the real war begins.” Now, Parsons is not negating the fact that true love, joy, peace, and purpose are found in Christ. Christians, although we still await the full consummation of God’s promises, do experience a myriad of spiritual blessings right here, right now. We are given life and life abundant. We do have rest in Christ. But what Parsons is drawing our attention to is that by giving our lives to Christ we are, as a result, waging war “against the spiritual forces of evil” (Ephesians 6).

At the heart of Ephesians 6, specifically verses 10 through 20, is this need to be fully equipped with “the whole armor of God, that [we] may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil” and, ultimately, “stand firm.” Paul goes on to talk about “the belt of truth” and “the breastplate of righteousness.” He explained how “the gospel of peace” is as shoes for our feet. He calls us to “take up the shield of faith,” as well as “the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Now, why would Paul go through all this trouble to discuss a full suit of armor that Christians, in the Spirit, are called to wear if it wasn’t of utmost importance? Well, it’s because he knows what the Christian is up against.

The Christian is fighting against spiritual darkness. Daily, we are called to put the flesh to death. We are fighting temptations and resisting the temptation to doubt. We are living in a world that hates Christ and, therefore, hates us. The Christian walk, though overflowing with innumerable riches in Christ, is simply not easy. It can be so utterly painful. Surely, almost any person who has considered themselves a believer for any period of time can attest to this fact. There are those who have been walking with the Lord for 50 or more years who will tell you that. Ask any Christian being tortured for their faith, and they’ll tell you just how hard it can be to live in the world but not of it. For those of us in America, we may not be facing the same kind of persecution our brothers and sisters do globally, but we still know how challenging it is to be bold in faith when surrounded by people who call you “hateful” and “bigoted” because of it.

All this to say, the Christian walk is hard. And for those who are new to it, they need all the support they can get. Honestly, I believe I speak for any Christian when I say that every day, every hour, we need help. We need love and support as we walk the earth as sojourners and exiles. We need reminders of why our faith is worth any and all backlash. We need encouragement as we battle sin. And for those new converts, they need the guidance we are supposed to give through discipleship to help them know that they did not make the wrong decision when they chose to follow Christ.

So, it’s good that more people are motivated to know about Jesus. I pray this leads to conversions and baptisms. But please, let us not be a church that neglects to follow through with discipleship. It’s an enticing, daunting world out there. The path is wide that leads to destruction, and many stumble onto it without hardly noticing. For any Christian, but especially the new convert, we must ensure we’re not leaving them alone at the altar, but steadily walking alongside them down the straight and narrow.

Ultimately, it’s God who unhardens a heart and brings about spiritual rebirth. Only He can truly open ears to hear and eyes to see. But when it comes to our role, all believers have a responsibility to then go forth and live a life worthy of the calling to which we’ve been called. We have an obligation to study the word, engage in fellowship, and continue advancing the Great Commission. These are the practices that make disciples. We are called to pursue them ourselves, just as we are called to help others in their own pursuit.