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Relational Authority, Unbundled Faith, and the Future of Gen Z and Gen Alpha

Called to Lead: Pastoral Leadership for Today’s Church

In this episode of Called to Lead, Dr. John Rinaldo welcomes Dr. Josh Packard, sociologist, co-founder of Future of Faith, and one of the country's leading researchers on the spiritual lives of modern youth. Drawing on his book, Faithful Futures: Sacred Tools for Engaging Younger Generations, and years of empirical research, Josh dismantles common generational stereotypes and offers church leaders a clear, research-backed roadmap for connecting with young people. Together, they explore why traditional "top-down" institutional authority fails with digital natives and how leaders can cultivate authentic "relational authority" instead. Josh unpacks the concept of "unbundled" faith, the power of sacred listening, and how parishes can move away from rigid, program-first thinking toward a culture of deep belonging and ongoing spiritual conversation.