God loves an element of surprise: David, the shepherd boy, chosen as king. Sarah giving birth in her very, very old age. Jesus walking on the water, scaring the living daylights out of the disciples. 

‍In 2025, God is surprising us in a new way: Young men are showing great interest in Jesus.

‍According to a report from the research institute Barna, both Millennials (born 1981-1996) and Gen Z (born 1997-2012) are returning to faith in Christianity at a greater rate than Gen X (born 1965-1980) and Boomers (born 1946-1964). 

Even more surprising may be the fact that men, more than women, are leading this increase. 

In this article, we’ll examine what church leaders need to know and how to prepare practically for the growing interest in Jesus. 

Surprising Trend #1: More Than Young Women, Young Men Are Showing New Interest in Jesus

When I became a Christian in 2008, women outnumbered men by about 5 to 1 in the church. That was true across the board, regardless of state or denomination. But the tide is turning. Young men are now more likely than young women to commit to following Jesus.

According to the same report cited above, Gen Z men and Millennial men are leading the increase by several percentage points. Between 2019 and 2025, there was a 15-point increase in the percentage of Gen Z men who were committed to Jesus (from 52% to 67%). Likewise, the percentage of Jesus-following Millennial men increased by 19 points, from 52% to 71%. For women, the percentage jumped only 7 points for Gen Z and 6 points for Millennials. 

For church leaders, this potentially translates to a greater focus on men’s ministry. But as my husband eruditely put it, “Don’t try to fix me.” Churches would do well to consider a ministry that gives men value, rather than telling them they are problems to be fixed. 

Surprising Trend #2: Interest in Jesus is Coming From Unexpected Places

Podcast host, psychologist, and popular intellectual Jordan Peterson is not a boldly professing Christian. Still, he teaches on the Bible, speaks about Jesus, and interviews followers of Christ (such as the creator of The Chosen TV series). 

Likewise, Joe Rogan – one of the world’s most popular podcast hosts and a former atheist – has shown interest in the Christian faith. His three-hour interview with Christian apologist Wesley Huff has also been called one of the most widespread proclamations of the Gospel ever, with over 7 million views on YouTube as of this writing.

Both Peterson and Rogan have predominantly young, male audiences– 71% of Rogan’s audience is male, and Peterson’s audience is also predominantly male, with a median age of younger than 40. 

The bottom line? Young men are hearing Truth in unexpected places, and they’re responding.

Church leaders can respond by educating themselves on what young men are hearing that would draw them to church in the first place. While I don’t suggest binging The Joe Rogan Experience, it would be insightful to know what new visitors are hearing about Jesus. 

Surprising Trend #3: Many New Believers Have Never Been “Churched”

Most of the Christians I know have been “churched.” Even if they walked away from the faith or never genuinely committed to Christ as a child, they were raised in church, taught Bible stories, and even learned a few ‘90s worship songs. To these believers, Jesus was never a stranger. 

‍Many new followers of Christ, especially men, are not familiar with the faith. On longform podcast The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God, host Justin Brierley frequently interviews guests for whom faith in Jesus has come as a complete surprise–not a return to a childhood faith. This includes so-called “lapsed atheists,” writers, and scientists.

Don’t assume your new visitors are familiar with the basics of the faith. A class on the core tenets of Christianity can be a helpful way to introduce new believers without embarrassing them in small group. 

Surprising Trend #4: Men Are Being Drawn to the Orthodox Church

For decades, churches have sought to attract new converts by shucking tradition, including liturgical prayer, weekly communion, and religious garb in favor of a more relaxed, seeker-friendly environment. The Eastern Orthodox Church, with its heavy emphasis on tradition, couldn’t be farther from your contemporary non-denominational church. And yet, the Orthodox Church is attracting a new wave of young male converts.

While there are plenty of potential reasons for this jump to Orthodoxy, many new converts credit the Orthodox Church’s adherence to tradition. One young male convert explains: “There is a sense of structure, of continuity [in the Orthodox Church] … It’s the exact same. It hasn’t changed. It’s not going to change.”

I’m not suggesting you lead your non-denominational church into the Orthodox tradition. However, it pays to understand why this 2,000-year-old institution is attracting men with its rigor, structure, and consistency.

Preparing for an Increase

If your church is expecting—or already seeing—a new wave of men visiting, now’s the time to make sure you’re ready to welcome and engage them well. With Tithely, you can handle giving, administration, communication, and follow-up all from one easy-to-use church management platform. Simplify your systems, free up your team, and focus on connecting with new people the way ministry was meant to be.

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