Rev Julie Guest
As I write this, I’ve just finished helping run a holiday programme for primary school children at St John’s, and my heart is full. In my role as vicar, I’m blessed to spend regular time with young people, and what strikes me most is how amazing they are, compared to the narrative we’re often presented.
Rev Julie Guest
Today’s young people are growing up in a world that’s almost unrecognisable to those of us in the second half of our lives. They live with news of wars, climate catastrophe, and social upheaval. The future that seemed so exciting to previous generations feels fragile and uncertain to them. Yet despite this, what I see are young people who are thoughtful, creative, and caring. We hear so much about children being “glued to screens” or “lazy” or “disrespectful.” But even if they stepped away from their devices, would much really change for most of them? The challenges they face would remain the same – they’d still be navigating a world that feels increasingly dangerous and unpredictable.
The truth is, there are thousands of ordinary young people who are actively generous and kind. They care for siblings, they help out at home and in voluntary clubs, they support friends through mental health struggles, they are imaginative, funny and vulnerable. But we rarely hear about them. Instead, we see either the very worst or the outstanding young people, missing the beautiful, complex reality of most.
Young people thrive when adults will sit with them, listen to their concerns about the future, celebrate their achievements, and help them navigate the complexities of growing up in 2025. Christians can offer something even more powerful – the truth that allows thriving even against the odds. We can share the news that each child is loved by God, completely and unconditionally.
When young people can believe that there is nothing they can do to make God love them less, and nothing they can do to make God love them more, something remarkable happens. Life is no longer a treadmill of trying to earn approval or avoid rejection. Instead, there is an invitation to live freely into your gifts and passions. And when young people are free to be authentically themselves, all of society benefits from their creativity, energy, and unique perspectives.
Churches can be powerful spaces where generations connect. As Christian adults, we have the privilege of showing God’s love through our words and actions. When we treat young people with genuine respect, when we listen without judgment, when we celebrate their successes and support them through struggles, we demonstrate the unconditional love that God has for each of them.
Rather than lamenting how different young people are today, perhaps we should celebrate it. They’re adapting to a world we’ve never had to navigate. They’re developing skills and perspectives we desperately need. They’re showing us new ways to build community, express creativity, and care for our planet. Over the school holidays maybe we can look for ways to connect with the young people in our neighbourhood.
Rev Julie Guest
