All Giona Melo could do was laugh. A 19-year-old who grew up on the Philippine island of Mindanao, Melo had just learned that police arrested the pastor of Mindanao’s largest Baptist church. He had allegedly murdered his romantic rival, a male beauty pageant contestant.
“I used to get really angry, but now I laugh because it’s just absurd,” said Melo. “I have peace because I trust in God more than the church.”
Like many countries, the Philippines is seeing a rise in public stories of scandal among Christian leaders. This impacts Gen Z in unique ways, as the stories travel quickly on social media, eroding young people’s trust in the church.
In a recent CT article, writer Hannah Keziah Agustin sheds light on the ways that church leaders can build trust among Gen Z Filipinos. Her insights have a broader application, though, offering perspective for churches—and homes—in the West as well. Melo, for example, told Agustin that she trusts “church leaders who have been to therapy, who are vulnerable and open to themselves. I think it shows their capacity for sensitivity to God’s word.”
As Christians around the world seek to connect with and disciple Gen Z, may we keep our eyes and ears open to their experiences and wisdom. In doing so, may we find that while scandal and sin can cause deep disillusionment, Christians who continue in faithfulness can spark great hope in a generation that longs to belong.
