Npentz.faith

Nicholas Pentz

May 4, 2026

Generation Z has seen a spike in religion compared to previous generations, specifically Christianity. There is a current revival happening in America which should only be celebrated. Ive seen powerful testimonies and repentance from all around me in people I grew up with, went to school with, and go to church with. Even in the current state of the fallen world God has worked and provided miracles despite my generation being as rebellious as ever.

Apart of that rebellion is running from “traditional” Christianity. My generation has demonized tradition. They’ve tried to “modernize” Christianity and throw tradition under the rug as if tradition is what turned them away from Christ before hand. It wasn’t the modernized evangelicalism that brought you back to Christ, it was the father bringing you back to himself. Tradition was never what made you turn away from God, It was your turned away heart. Non Denominationalism is rooted in the “Restorationist” movement that was created in the 1800’s America. It an attempt to throw away Church history and tradition and instead try to “Reinvent Christianity” on their own with just themselves and their bible alone.

I would argue this is a very arrogant and prideful way of approaching scripture and the divine revelations the father gave us. The entire purpose of Church history is to look back at the saints and heretics alike and say, “What did they get right, and what did they get wrong”. A wise man learns from others mistakes, a foolish man only learns from his own. How prideful must we be to look at the saints of the day who were thrashed alive by lions or killed with their family for the sake of the truth and throw them away and tell ourselves we can interpret better. How prideful must we be to look at the men and the councils who fought, prayed and lived their entire lives seeking the truth and throw them away. If we throw these people away, we will inevitably fall right back into heresies that were dealt with in the first second and third century.

The main objection I hear from restorationist is “As long as we are united on the foundation and the essentials of christianity nothing else matters”. Which at face value is very true. The Gospel is most important in every christians life and everything else comes second, but lets take the house illustration even further. The foundation of the house is The Gospel, the Trinity, and the Scriptures, but if we just had a concrete foundation is that a house? No, we need the framing, and the piping, and the electricity etc. So yes everyone’s house might be a little different, but if you have weak walls then your house is bound to collapse. The same is for the Christian faith. Yes the essentials are what matter the most, but if you have a weak theology over the foundation then your faith might collapse. Now luckily since you have the foundation you’ll never go back to zero. You’ll always have the promise of Christ and the gospel to fall back on.

Now let me make this clear, am I asking everyone to become a theologian and read every single church father and study the seven ecumenical councils? No. What I’m saying is be careful and watchful of who you get your theology from. Once again listen to me to clearly, am I saying tradition is infallible and on par with Scripture? Absolutely not. Like I said earlier that is my whole point. Two thousand years of church mistakes and errors, combined with two thousand years of correction and revelation will build you up and give you a solid faith.