32 unread messages. Jane put down the phone, frustrated. How would she get through the next few days? Looking for answers, or distraction, Jane picked up the phone and started watching videos. One video caught Jane’s eye. A remarkable individual, talking about something religious or spiritual Jane couldn’t quite make it out, but she was interested and found something impressive, maybe admirable, about the person. So, Jane continued watching and realized that this individual was part of a Christian church unlike any she had grown up with in her hometown. So, she went. There were no priests in traditional garments, no hard pews in dark, cold spaces, and no ritualistic or repetitive sermons. The pastor was charismatic. He spoke to his congregation as if he was having a conversation with them rather than speaking at them. The pews were cushioned, and the lights were warm and cosy. They weren’t like other churches; they were a “cool” church that led fun adventures with their youth group, and everyone seemed like family.
But one day, the church asked Jane for money. They wanted to expand the congregation to include a school and a gym, but something in Jane’s mind told her this felt wrong. It felt like they wanted to build a gated community based on their own rules and way of life. She never donated, but most did, and soon they had enough money to break ground on a property just outside the city limits. Jane was invited to the ceremony; she clapped as the pastor made his speech and then slowly slipped away from attending.
Almost a decade later, curious, she looked them up only to see that the church never actually expanded. However, they did get a fancy new stage and high-end equipment to boost their social media presence. Meanwhile, the site of the proposed expansion remains untouched to this day, without a single brick laid. What, then, became of everyone’s money? Do the congregants regret donating? Did the staff just get sparkling new iPhones instead? Jane doesn’t know, but she feels she dodged a massive bullet.
This story was submitted as part of the King’s Study Phase of the Gen Z Role Models Project. Added April 2026.
“realized that this individual was part of a Christian church unlike any she had grown up with” (S182) © 2026 by The Gen Z Role Models Project is licensed under CC BY 4.0
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