There is a growing sense of disillusionment among young people today—especially those who grew up in the church, only to witness heartbreaking things done in the name of religion. Hypocrisy, scandals, and misguided actions by people who claim to follow Christ have left many feeling jaded and disillusioned. Barna president David Kinnaman identified three trends shaping 15–23-year-olds: unlimited access (to Wi-Fi/the world), profound alienation (from institutions and traditions that give structure and meaning to our lives), and a crisis of authority (suspicion of belief in the Bible).
But I’m also seeing a genuine, growing spiritual hunger in this generation who are asking a great question, “Does God have an identity that is separate from all of this?”
The Ark of God and Human Powerlessness
A powerful story in the Bible illustrates the disconnect between God’s true nature and human failure. In 1 Samuel, the Israelites lost their way and began treating the Ark of God like a mere mascot, a magical object to manipulate for victory in battle, invoking God’s name only when it suited them. In response, God allowed the Ark—symbolizing His presence, faithfulness, and the memory of His works—to fall into the hands of their enemies, the Philistines, who placed it in the temple of their god, Dagon.
But something strange happened. Dagon’s statue was found toppled, decapitated, and dismembered before the Ark. The message was clear: God does not share space with falsehood and failure and cannot be confined or manipulated by human hands no matter how sincere.
This story is striking because it reveals a fundamental truth: God’s power and character exist beyond the failures of people. The Israelites misunderstood Him, the Philistines tried to control Him, and both were confronted with the reality that they could not bend God to their will. The God of the Bible doesn’t depend on human behavior to validate His authenticity. He exists and acts outside of human intellect, control, and religious zealotry.
A Generation Seeking Truth
Sometimes, like the Israelites, we try to package God into our own agendas, seeing Him as a tool to wield, assuming we have the inside track, rather than as the independent sovereign Lord of the universe. And yet, God stands beyond our attempts to control or define Him. This resonates deeply with a generation that values authenticity above all else. If you are disillusioned by religion, remember that human failures do not define God.
What if your doubts and questions were not signs of a failing faith but an invitation to discover something deeper? The Bible is filled with stories of people who wrestled with God, questioned, doubted, and challenged the status quo, and met them in that space. Jacob wrestled with God and was given a new name. Job questioned God’s justice and was shown the vastness of God’s wisdom. The prophets railed against the religious corruption of their time, calling people back to the truth.
We can all see that God has given us a generation willing to seek truth above all else, even when it’s uncomfortable. A generation that rejects empty religion and embraces a God who is alive, real, and utterly outside human manipulation. They are coming to know that God is not bound by human institutions or limited by the failures of those who claim to represent Him. He is seeking those who are willing to come to Him with intellectual honesty, sincerity, and a heart that desires truth.
I don’t see this generation walking away from faith, but they are rejecting hypocrisy and looking much deeper. God is not the broken systems, scandals, or failures. He is the God who topples idols and defies expectations. He is seeking people who will pursue Him with a heart for truth and authenticity, who will not settle for surface-level religion but will ask the hard questions and dare to believe there’s more.
A Generation of Renewal
This generation will usher in a new era of faith—one that is rooted not in religious performance but in a natural, lived experience of the God who transcends our human mess. God invites the rest of us to also seek Him sincerely in a world filled with confusion, pain, and disappointment.
The God who is not confined to any building, denomination, or political agenda, but always present is also waiting to be found by those who seek Him with all their heart.