Millennial and Generation Z Christian influencers are drawing growing audiences across digital platforms by offering biblical guidance on dating, mental health, parenting and racial justice — filling gaps that Sunday sermons often leave unfilled, according to the Associated Press. The trend comes as organized religion loses ground among young Americans: only 41% of people ages 18 to 35 surveyed in 2023 and 2024 said they believe in God with certainty, down from 65% in 2007, according to the Pew Research Center.

Podcasts like “Girls Gone Bible,” co-hosted by former Hollywood actors Arielle Reitsma, 36, and Angela Halili, 29, now draw more than a million listens or streams each month and sell out live events. At a gathering in Atlanta, the pair warned hundreds of fans against placing too much importance on work or relationships.

“We’re like, listen, we’re two mess-ups too. It’s OK,” Reitsma said.

The influencers describe themselves as churchgoers who reject denominational labels, speaking candidly about personal struggles and biblical interpretations to a generation that polls show is increasingly disconnected from organized religion — and academics say their reach carries both promise and risk.

Filling a gap between Sundays

Megan Ashley, 35, host of the “In Totality” podcast, said she sees her role as a daily complement to church community rather than a replacement for it.

“I can be that in-between — Monday to Saturday help — to give you practical things to make you feel like you’re not walking this walk alone,” Ashley said.

Ashley said her focus on biblical teaching deepened after a period when, as a recently divorced single mother, she experienced suicidal thoughts and depression. Many of the influencers the AP interviewed described coming to faith through hardship or a sense of emptiness they attributed to secular lifestyles.

Christian rapper and podcaster Lecrae Moore said the movement reflects something he cannot fully account for. “What they’re making accessible is a truth that transforms people,” Moore said. “There’s something that’s happening existentially — supernaturally — that I can’t explain.”

A tradition with new tools

These algorithm-savvy podcasters fit into a long tradition of Christian media figures, said Zachary Sheldon, a lecturer on media, religion and culture at Baylor University, who cited televangelist Billy Graham as a historical example. Working independently, they can grow audiences more easily than established congregations or media organizations can, Sheldon said.

But Sheldon also pointed to “potential dangers in granting them too much authority on the basis of their celebrity and their acumen with social media.”

Some listeners said the influencers offer a welcome alternative to more formal religious instruction. “I really needed someone who was a younger Black female portraying something that wasn’t super traditional,” said Olivia Singleton, 24, who said she is also active in her own church.

The influencers operate across a range of theological and cultural territory, and some have drawn criticism from multiple directions. Jackie Hill Perry, 36, and her husband Preston Perry, 39, host “With the Perrys,” a podcast they started in 2019 that covers topics including Black culture, police brutality and racial injustice. They have faced criticism from conservatives for those discussions and from liberals for expressing opposition to same-sex marriage and abortion.

“God calls us to ruffle feathers sometimes, to speak to culture,” Perry said.

Reitsma and Halili received pushback, according to the AP, after they prayed at a pre-inauguration rally for President Donald Trump.

Bryce Crawford, 22, conducts street evangelism at events including Pride parades and the Burning Man festival. He said he favors conversation over confrontation. “My issue with ‘repent or burn in hell’ is that people get frustrated because they don’t know why you’re telling them that,” Crawford said.

Risks of the online format

The influencers acknowledged that online Christianity has its challenges. Hill Perry said a focus on drama and esoteric theology can crowd out foundational messages. She said she worries that “simply talking about gentleness or respect or kindness or patience is gonna be boring” to some audiences.

Halili said the appetite she sees reflects a broader hunger that digital platforms are uniquely positioned to reach. “People are spiritually hungry, emotionally hungry, and I think for the first time ever … people are encountering Jesus even through online platforms, and they’re realizing, this is true life and fulfillment,” she said.