The Time for a Story-Driven, Jesus-Centered, Beauty-Drenched Adventism Is Now

We’ve been talking about the Quiet Revival—this surprising resurgence of Gen Z, particularly young men, returning to church. And over the last two blogs, we’ve explored the gender dynamics, the aesthetic pull of Catholicism and Pentecostalism, and the massive absence of Adventism in the mix.

But there’s one more layer we haven’t explored yet. A deeper one. A cultural current quietly shaping the way young people relate to faith itself.

It’s called metamodernism.

If postmodernism taught us to deconstruct, to question everything and trust nothing, metamodernism is the cultural instinct to bring things back together. Not by going backward into old forms of certainty, but by holding opposites in tension. It’s the generation that grew up in the ruins of division—and decided they didn’t want to live that way anymore.

Where the previous generation chose irony, critique, and distance, this one is choosing sincerity, curiosity, and closeness. Where Millennials were allergic to institutions, Gen Z is reconsidering them—sometimes even embracing them. And where Gen X rolled its eyes at idealism, the rising generation is trying to dream again, even if it feels a little naïve.

The central impulse of metamodernism is this: collapse the distance.

Not in a destructive sense—but in a healing one. Collapse the distance between the sacred and the secular. Between head and heart. Between the ancient and the future. Between the certainty of belief and the fragility of doubt.

I’ve said this before, years ago in fact, that metamodernism would eventually inspire a resurgence of Christianity. Not a return to the old forms or power structures, but something fresh. Something paradoxical. Something grounded in history and open to mystery. And now here we are. Watching a new generation walk back into cathedrals, sanctuaries, and worship spaces—not because they’ve bought the sales pitch, but because they’re tired of being fractured. They want integration. And faith, when presented authentically, offers just that.

This isn’t surprising if you understand how generational cycles work. Each generation defines itself in opposition to the one before. If Millennials wore skinny jeans, Gen Z made them cringe and brought back the wide leg. If Millennials were spiritual but not religious, Gen Z is open to structured faith again. If Gen X rebelled through irony, Gen Z is pushing back with sincerity.

But what does this mean for Adventists?

First, let’s be honest about where this revival is happening. It’s not happening in our spaces. It’s unfolding in places of beauty, wonder, mystery, and spiritual immersion—Catholic cathedrals with ancient liturgy and Pentecostal churches with raw, embodied worship. We don’t need to mimic either. We don’t need to jump on the “come back to church” trend with cringey Instagram campaigns and try-hard aesthetics. But we do need to ask ourselves why it’s not happening here—and what that says about our posture toward the world.

Second, we need to understand that metamodernism is not just another cultural buzzword—it’s the operating system of an entire generation. If we’re still trying to reach postmodern people, we’re behind. The younger generations are no longer interested in endless deconstruction. They’re interested in reconstruction. Integration. Wholeness. They’re not afraid to be spiritual and they’re unapologetically hungry for a faith that embraces complexity. One that holds reverence and laughter, doubt and devotion, mystery and meaning. If Adventism can’t offer that, we will continue to speak a language no one’s listening to.

Finally, we need to stop building systems that end at baptism. Discipleship isn’t a moment. It’s a journey. A rhythm. A lifelong encounter with the way of Jesus. That means we need more than Bible studies and prophecy seminars. We need spaces of spiritual formation, mentorship, embodied justice, and creative practice. We need pathways that don’t just educate minds, but renovate lives.

This generation isn’t asking for a brand. They’re asking for a path. A way of being. A rhythm of living. Something they can build their lives around—not just admire from a distance.

So no, we shouldn’t panic because this revival is happening outside of Adventism. But neither should we ignore it. We should pay attention, humbly, and let it disrupt us. Let it challenge us to become something deeper. Not louder. Not trendier. But more honest. More grounded. More human.

And in doing so, we might just rediscover that our faith tradition has something to say to this moment after all.

Because at its best, Adventism is already metamodern.

It’s both deeply rooted in the ancient story and radically open to the unfolding future. It holds law and grace, justice and mercy, reverence and resistance. The sanctuary message—the heart of our theology—is quite literally the collapsing of distance between heaven and earth, between God and humanity. It is the declaration that God is not far off, demanding tribute—but present, with us, in the tent, in the wilderness, in the mess.

Yeah, there’s bad stuff happening in our church. But that doesn’t have to be our whole focus. Because it turns out, we have something brilliant to say. Something to offer the world that no one else is offering. Which means this: The Time to Rebirth a Story-Driven, Jesus-Centered, Beauty-Drenched Adventism Is Now.

Plant churches. Launch ministries. Get creative. Hold nothing back.

Let the complainers complain. Let the critics critique. Let the haters hate. This is our moment. Let’s shine.

Want to learn all about metamodern mission & discipleship?

Join my online secular mission school HERE.