Something is happening in this generation, and we believe it creates an incredible opportunity for the Church. For years, much of the conversation around teenagers and faith has focused on young people walking away from Christianity, declining church attendance, and growing mistrust of institutions. And while some of those challenges are very real, they don’t tell the whole story.
There is also a growing spiritual curiosity among young people. Students are asking deeper questions about meaning, purpose, identity, hope, and what they believe. They may be skeptical of organized religion or hesitant to walk through the doors of a church, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are closed to Jesus. In many ways, we may be entering a unique moment when students are more willing to have conversations about faith than we realize.
That’s what makes this moment so exciting. Before someone ever walks through the doors of a church, they will probably encounter a follower of Jesus. They sit next to one in class. They play together on a team. They work the same shift. They follow each other online. They eat at the same lunch table. And whether we realize it or not, people are watching the way followers of Jesus live.
That’s why the theme of ASCENT 2027 is SHINE.
Jesus told His followers, “You are the light of the world.” He didn’t tell us to hide from the darkness, blend in with it, or wait for people to come looking for the light. He called us to put that light somewhere it could be seen. That means our faith was never meant to be something we simply believe privately, it should change the way we actually live.
To SHINE means loving when it would be easier to hate. It means serving when everyone else is looking out for themselves, showing grace when someone doesn’t deserve it, having courage when everyone else stays quiet, and living differently because Jesus has changed us. It doesn’t mean having all the answers or being the loudest Christian in the room. It means living such an authentic life with Jesus that people can see something different in us.
This generation may not automatically trust an institution, but they are paying attention to the people they know. That means the way we live out our faith matters more than ever. Our world doesn’t simply need Christians who are better at winning arguments; it needs followers of Jesus whose lives make people curious about the Jesus they follow.
And students don’t have to wait until they’re older to do that. You don’t have to become a pastor, missionary, worship leader, or “professional Christian” to make an impact. You can SHINE right now… in your school, on your team, at your job, around your friends, in your family, and in your community. God has already placed you somewhere that needs His light.
At ASCENT 2027, students and leaders from across the nation will gather to worship Jesus, grow together, and discover what it means to live a faith that doesn’t stay hidden. We believe God has placed this generation in this moment for a reason, and we want to challenge them not just to know what they believe, but to have the courage to live it.
The light is already in you. It’s time to let it SHINE.
