As the world changes at breakneck speed, the Church is grappling with how to reach a generation formed by digital culture, moral fluidity, and deep questions about identity. Ashish Hirday, Global Facilitator of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) Youth Commission, believes the answer is found in the Word of God rather than in programs.
In an exclusive interview with Christian Daily International on the sidelines of the recent Arise Leadership Summit in Jakarta, Hirday reflected on the state of youth ministry worldwide, the widening gap between generations, and his conviction that genuine transformation will come only through relational discipleship rooted in Scripture.
“Many pastors understand what young people are going through, and they want to help,” he said. “But the problem is how to help. Seminaries never trained us to have counseling talks about issues like sexuality or identity. Those conversations are happening now whether the church is ready or not.”
His observations come from nearly two decades of work across Asia and the global evangelical movement, where he has watched churches wrestle with how to connect with young people who live in an entirely different social and moral landscape than their elders.
Beginning by listening with emphathy
Hirday said that while pastors often hold clear convictions about moral issues, they may lack the relational skills or emotional understanding to walk with young people who are struggling.
“If someone comes to church and says, ‘I’m gay,’ we immediately say, ‘He’s a sinner,’” he said. “But we don’t listen further. We don’t ask what happened in that person’s past or what led to this point.”
He added that many who face sexual identity struggles have histories of trauma or sexual abuse, but churches rarely address such underlying pain. “We are too quick to categorize people instead of understanding their story,” he said. “The problem is not that pastors don’t care—it’s that they don’t know how to help.”
What is missing, he believes, is empathy. “If someone is in sin, we say, ‘He’s gone,’ and that’s the end of the conversation. But Jesus never treated people that way. He saw the sin, yes, but He also saw the person and their need for redemption.”
Drawing from John 4, Hirday compared the Church’s posture to that of Jesus toward the Samaritan woman. “Jesus knew her sin,” he said, “but He still spoke into her life, naming her reality while offering hope. That’s what changes people—truth with compassion.”
In his own ministry, he said, accepting people “no matter what they’re into” and then patiently walking with them has led to transformation. “No one is perfect,” he said. “But when people feel loved and accompanied, they begin to listen. The gospel can do its work when relationships are genuine.”
Formation begins in the home
Much of the church’s difficulty, Hirday said, lies in failing to see how formation begins at home. He believes the recovery of parental discipleship is one of the most urgent needs in the global Church.
“More than pastors, parents have the key role in speaking about sexuality and identity,” he said. “And not just about biology, but about the deeper questions of purpose, temptation, and boundaries that their children face.”
For this to happen, he argued, seminaries themselves must be part of the solution. “I strongly believe seminaries should start introducing modules or subjects on parenting,” he said. “When leaders are trained in this area, they can equip the next generation of parents in their churches.”
Too often, churches operate as if formation belongs only to the clergy, he added. “We hold youth programs and parenting seminars, but rarely preach on parenting itself,” he said. “We assume everything will take care of itself. Then, when children go astray, parents blame the church. But children are not the church’s responsibility—they are entrusted to their parents.”
Hirday advocates a partnership model where churches equip parents, parents disciple their children, and both are supported by mentors who model authentic faith. “The church should never take the parents’ place,” he said. “It should empower them.”
Learning to enter the world of young people
Bridging the generational gap, especially between older pastors and Gen Z, requires intentional humility, Hirday said. “Many pastors have wisdom, but they must learn how to enter the world of young people without losing who they are,” he explained.
He shared how he has learned to step away from hierarchical expectations in his own culture to connect more authentically with youth. “In Asia, leadership is often top-down,” he said. “But when I’m with young people, I have to take off my hat—my title, my position—and simply be a learner and a friend. Only then do they open up.”
This posture, he said, has transformed his relationships. “Seventy to eighty percent of my church members don’t even know I hold a global position with the WEA,” he said. “They just see me as their pastor or friend. That’s what keeps me grounded.”
For Hirday, this approach models the humility of Christ and earns trust among youth who value transparency over authority. “When leaders insist on keeping a distance, they lose the ability to influence,” he said. “But when we show vulnerability, we gain respect.”
Mentors who are willing to invest in a young person’s life
The third pillar in Hirday’s vision for youth ministry is mentorship—life-on-life discipleship that moves beyond formal Bible studies.
“A mentor is anyone willing to invest in a young person’s life and walk with them,” he said. “Not just in church, but in daily life—taking a walk together, sharing a meal, being honest about failures.”
He recounted how openness builds credibility more than perfection ever could. “Sometimes my youth say, ‘Our pastor is so humble,’” he said, laughing. “I tell them, ‘Ask my wife.’ And my son once told a friend that I’m not the same at home—and he was right. I lose my temper sometimes. I’m not perfect.”
That kind of honesty, Hirday said, prevents young people from idolizing leaders or abandoning faith when they see flaws. “If they know you’re human, they’ll trust you. But if you hide your weaknesses and they later discover them, they feel betrayed. Transparency builds resilience.”
He also warned against a culture of secrecy in ministry. “In many contexts, leaders fear what people will think if they’re honest about their struggles,” he said. “That fear protects us for a while, but when reality surfaces, it causes greater damage. It’s better to live truthfully than to pretend holiness.”
“Our identity cannot be based on what we do, what we accomplish or what others say”
Hirday’s passion for authenticity was forged through a deep, personal experience. In 2021, he was diagnosed with cancer, an experience that profoundly changed his outlook on life and leadership.
“I had more than 4,000 friends on Facebook,” he recalled. “But when I fell ill, not even 40 called or texted me. That’s when I realized how fake this world can be. People say they care, but few actually do. When you die, your organization or church will replace you—but your family will not.”
The experience redefined his understanding of identity and worth. “Our identity cannot be based on what we do, what we achieve, or what others say,” he said. “Those things fade quickly. We are who we are because God created us and has a plan for us.”
He now urges young people to anchor their value in God’s calling rather than social validation. “Develop thick skin,” he advised. “Don’t let every opinion affect you. The world teaches you to prove yourself, but Scripture teaches you to rest in who you already are in Christ.”
The Bible speaks to every issue the Church faces
For all the programs and creative strategies in contemporary youth ministry, Hirday believes the Church has drifted from its core resource: the Word of God.
“One of the things that troubles me most is how reactive our ministry has become,” he said. “When something becomes a problem—pornography, gaming, social media—we rush to start new initiatives. But these are reactions, not responses.”
The difference, he said, is depth. “A response is grounded in Scripture. It anticipates rather than reacts. The Bible already speaks to every issue we face, but we often forget its power.”
He expressed concern that many global youth leaders are losing confidence in the sufficiency of Scripture. “We give all our attention to strategies and trends,” he said, “but transformation comes from the Word, not from programs.”
In his own ministry, he has witnessed the power of simple biblical teaching. “We preach, teach, and help young people apply the Word to daily life,” he said. “And we see transformation. Not because of flashy events, but because the gospel still works.”
Rediscovering simplicity in ministry
Hirday said he often reminds his colleagues that youth ministry does not need to be complex. “We complicate things,” he said. “My friend Keith Cote once joked that we don’t need youth directors anymore—we need CSOs, Chief Simplicity Officers.”
He elaborated, “We’ve filled youth ministry with programs, branding, and performance. But young people don’t need entertainers. They need disciples who can show them how to live the gospel.”
The aim, he said, is not simply to communicate the gospel, but to make it livable. “We have mastered preaching—introductions, three points, and a conclusion—but our application is often one line long,” he said. “Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount was filled with application. That’s what the next generation needs: not more information, but a model of how to live it out.”
To Hirday, this is the enduring strength of the Christian message. “The gospel was the answer and it still is,” he said. “Our task is to make it practical, to show how faith works in real life. That’s what transforms young people.”
Bring Scripture to the center for youth ministry
Despite the challenges, Hirday remains hopeful about Generation Z and the Church’s future. Referring to a quote about children’s disrespect and bad manners often attributed to Socrates, he jokingly said, “every generation has been called ‘the worst’ since 400 B.C.”
“Yet God keeps raising new leaders. The key is not to be reactive, but responsive and anticipatory—to equip youth before the crisis, not after.”
Echoing the theme of his keynote at the Arise Leadership Summit, he urged church leaders to see young people not as a problem to fix, but as partners to develop. “They are not the Church of tomorrow,” he said. “They are the Church of today. When we give them space, responsibility, and Scripture, they rise to the occasion.”
“We don’t need to reinvent the gospel for the next generation,” he emphasized. “We need to embody it. Let’s bring Scripture back to the center. Let’s make it simple, relational, and real—and watch what God will do.”
