The church has a big job ahead. Parents, who have the greatest influence on a child’s faith formation, have an even bigger one. But if we can advocate for the benefits of strong faith communities and convince families that Christian fellowship is a real remedy for mental health woes, we can change the trajectory. 

Recent CDC reports reveal that 40% of American teens reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in the past year. The World Health Organization says suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15 to 29-year-olds. Lingering consequences from onerous pandemic policies and increased use of technology have exacerbated both of these issues.

Despite five years’ distance from the pandemic, faith-based communities have yet to regain their pre-pandemic attendance levels or participation. And kids have hardly recovered from the full consequences of what lockdowns did to them. There’s growing recognition of the harm iPhones and social media caused during that time—but undoing the damage isn’t easy, and some consequences may be lifelong.

In a 2024 study, the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) said that at the end of the 2021-2022 school year, they thought the “worst” of pandemic consequences was behind them. “Unfortunately, data from the past two years no longer support that conclusion,” they wrote.

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