Christian Influencers Fill a Void for Young Seekers

ATLANTA – Christian influencers from the Millennial and Z generations are increasingly filling a church in the United States, increasing their audience on digital platforms by guiding young peopel toward biblical answers to difficult questions that do not always find answers in Sunday sermons.

“I can be that support during the week – from Monday to Saturday – to give you the practical things that make you feel like you are not walking this path alone,” saeid Megan ashley, 35, from the couch where she records her podcast “In Totality.”

From diverse backgrounds, these influencers openly talk with their audience about everything from anxieties and doubts to dating and culture, delving into the complexities of the Bible. Believers say Christian influencers are galvanizing young people searching for meaning amid a culture that lacks it, at a time when years of declines in church attendance have slowed.

“What they make available is a truth that transforms people,” said Lecrae Moore, a Christian rapper and podcaster. “There is something happening existentially-supernaturally-that I cannot explain.”

Ashley and Moore are two of a half-dozen popular influencers who described their work for this story. With and without formal theological training, they describe themselves as churchgoers who do not want their messages to be pigeonholed by denominational labels.

Some grew up in the church; others do not, but commonly describe experiencing a spiritual transformation that arose from adversity or a sense of emptiness that they attribute to secular lifestyles.

“Hey, we’re two messes too. It’s okay,” said Arielle Reitsma, 36, co-host of the “girls Gone Bible” podcast, which receives more than a million streams each month.

Connecting online and in person

These algorithm-savvy podcasters fit comfortably into a long tradition of Christian celebrities,said Zachary Sheldon,a professor of media,religion and culture at Baylor university,who mentioned televangelist Billy Graham as an example. Working independently, they can engage audiences more easily than established congregations and the media.

“Exposing people to faith and challenging them to ask questions and search for something more” is a really good thing, Sheldon said. But he highlighted “potential dangers of giving them too much authority based on their fame and their social media prowess.”

These influencers encourage church attendance and talk about reaching a variety of people, including those who have been particularly disconnected from religion, which surveys show is a growing number of young Americans. only 41% of people ages 18 to 35 surveyed in 2023-24 said they strongly believe in God, down from 65% in 2007, according to the Pew Research Center.

“People are spiritually hungry, emotionally hungry, and I think for the first time… people are finding Jesus even through online platforms, and they are realizing that this is true life and fullness,” stressed Angela Halili, 29, co-host of reitsma.

The duo now draw live crowds since starting the podcast over two years ago. During an event in Atlanta they warned hundreds of fans about idolizing work or relationships. With Bible in hand, they recounted their days as Hollywood actresses struggling with addiction, heartbreak and mental health disorders.