For a long time, leadership in the church has been associated with the loudest voice in the room. The confident speaker. The outgoing personality. The person who always seems sure of themselves and ready to take charge. Personally, I am constantly in front of people teaching, leading, even giving announcements, and for far too long early in my career, I wrongly believed the person on the stage is the leader. But as I spend more time with Gen Z students and young leaders, it has become clear that this picture of leadership no longer fits the people God is calling to lead.
Gen Z is not lacking leaders. They are lacking permission to lead in the way God wired them.
Many students assume that leadership requires charisma, bold public speaking, or constant visibility. When they do not see those traits in themselves, they quietly disqualify themselves from leadership before anyone else ever does. The result is that some of our most thoughtful, empathetic, spiritually aware students sit on the sidelines, convinced leadership is not for them.
Scripture tells a different story.
Throughout the Bible, God consistently calls leaders who do not fit the expected mold. Moses tried to talk his way out of leadership because he was not confident in his speech. David was overlooked because he was young and unimpressive compared to his brothers. Timothy was told not to let anyone look down on him because of his age. Leadership in God’s kingdom has never been about volume. It has always been about faithfulness.
Gen Z tends to value authenticity over performance. They are drawn to leaders who listen well, lead with humility, and live consistently. This generation is less impressed by authority that demands attention and more impacted by leaders who show up, tell the truth, and stay present. That is not a weakness. That is a strength.
Some of the strongest leaders I know do not speak first. They listen first. They notice who is being left out. They ask thoughtful questions. They bring calm into chaotic spaces. They lead through trust rather than control. Gen Z often leads this way naturally, but many of them have never been told that this counts as leadership.
At camp, in youth groups, and in leadership development spaces, we need to intentionally broaden our definition of what leadership looks like. If we only prop up the loudest students or even just the students who volunteer, we unintentionally teach everyone else that leadership belongs to someone more confident, more outgoing, or more polished. But if we call out faithfulness, integrity, courage, and teachability, we begin to unlock leaders who would otherwise remain hidden.
This is why I love events like ASCENT summer camp. ASCENT creates space for leadership that looks different than what many students expect. Leadership at camp is not limited to who is loudest on stage but shows up in cabins, conversations, service, and quiet obedience when no one is watching. By slowing things down, ASCENT helps students discover how God has wired them and gives them permission to lead through presence, listening, faithfulness, and care for others. Instead of forcing students into a mold, ASCENT tries to create room for God to call and shape leaders in His way and in His time.
Leadership is not about being the center of attention. It is about taking responsibility for the people God has placed around you. It is about showing up when it would be easier to step back. It is about choosing obedience even when you feel unsure.
Gen Z does not need to become louder to lead. The church needs to become better at recognizing leadership that does not demand the spotlight.
As leaders, our role is not to shape students into one type of leader. Our role is to help them discover how God has already wired them and then give them space to practice faithfulness. When we do that, we do not just develop leaders for camp or in our youth groups. We help form leaders who will carry their faith into families, schools, workplaces, and communities for decades to come.
The next generation of leaders may not be the loudest in the room. But they may be the most faithful. And that is exactly the kind of leadership the church needs right now.
Are you calling out the called?
