Practice
Faithful Futures Sacred Tools for Engaging Younger Generations Josh Packard This research-based book addresses the critical need for church leaders to connect with Gen Z and Gen Alpha in meaningful and effective ways, drawing on fresh data and innovative practices to provide practical strategies for faith engagement. “Packard is one of the voices I trust most when it comes to the faith and life journeys of today’s teenagers. If you care about the next generation, Faithful Futures is a must-read.” — Kara Powell, Fuller Seminary and Fuller Youth Institute “Absolutely essential reading for anyone who cares about young people and faith. If you read only one book on youth ministry this year, this should be the one.” —Kenda Creasy Dean, Princeton Theological Seminary “Packard’s deep understanding of Gen Z and Gen Alpha helps youth workers move from theory to faithful practice. Anyone serious about reaching young people should study this work closely.” —Jake Bland, president/CEO, Youth for Christ USA “This book is filled with insights on the challenges and impor - tance of listening and how this listening can reconnect us with the sacred. A timely and important book.” —Andrew Root, Luther Seminary; author of Evangelism in an Age of Despair “A road map that provides clear pathways for creating spaces where people of every generation can fully belong.” — Arthur L. Satterwhite III, vice president of strategy, Young Life FROM THE BOOK New generations often require a shift in approach to ministry. Sometimes, those shifts are small and subtle. . . . And sometimes, a change in the culture requires a much more dramatic shift. The loss of institutional trust, for example, means that we need to funda- mentally rethink how we and our organizations position ourselves in the lives of young people. But one thing is clear: Change is inevita- ble. The famous data scientist W. Edwards Deming is said to have remarked, “It is not necessary to change. Survival is not required.” That sentiment very much captures where the church is right now. We are at a moment in time when the survival of our religious tradi- tions is very much in question. . . . One way or another, the future is going to be very different.
OCTOBER 2025 • 208 pages • $24.99 • paper • 9781540969514
Josh Packard (PhD, Vanderbilt University) is a sociologist, a sought-after speaker, and a cofounder of Future of Faith, which helps faith leaders expand and sustain relational ministries in to- day’s rapidly evolving cultural landscape. He is the author of several books, including Church Refugees: Sociologists Reveal Why People Are Done with Church but Not Their Faith and Meaning Making: 8 Values That Drive America’s Newest Generations.
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