Gen Z is increasingly gravitating toward life before smartphones and social media, embracing analog trends such as film cameras, vinyl records, and handwritten letters. While it might seem like a hipster trend or aesthetic, this comeback points to a search for deeper meaning and connection in young adults.
According to The Standard-Examiner, this movement stems from Gen Z’s struggle to connect with the world around them. While parents and grandparents stumble with technology, young adults want to know how to thrive in a technologically saturated world. What was it like to live without being constantly connected? What was it like to live without a screen two inches from your face?
A recent Vocal article notes how analog hobbies give this generation “a sense of purpose, slowness, and tangibility.” These habits and hobbies aren’t just fads—they’re a search for something sacred.
So what does this cultural nostalgia teach us about our God-given desire for truth, simplicity, and real relationships?
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1. A Surprising Shift Toward Simplicity
In a world obsessed with iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, and Beats headphones, it’s surprising to see Gen Z intentionally looking back to a world before any of these devices existed. Though this generation grew up with constant connectivity, many are actively seeking out “analog nostalgia” instead.
Analog Nostalgia isn’t new. Most of us, at some point, have longed for experiences before and without the presence of anything digital. This is why things like deep conversations, hikes in the woods, and in-person hangouts are so desirable and fulfilling.
For Gen Z, however, this yearning points to something greater. It reflects three profound longings: to slow down, to be authentic, and to live fully in the present. These desires mirror something we’re all wired for—truth, simplicity, and a real relationship with God and others.
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2. Come As You Are
From vinyl records and cassette tapes to film photography, sewing, and hand-written letters, one theme stands out: A desire to come as we are.
While the Bible doesn’t use this phrase verbatim, it resounds with God’s invitation to grace. Jesus doesn’t ask us to have it all together before coming to Him—He calls us in our brokenness. Matthew 11:28 says it this way:
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (ESV).
Coming as we are isn’t an excuse to sin or remain unchanged. As Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here” (NIV)!
Authenticity matters to Gen Z and God. Young adults are drawn to things that are real and raw, like a Polaroid photo with no edits or filters. With one click, what you see is what you get—no filters or do-overs available.
That same desire reflects the Gospel’s truth: we don’t need to fake it with God. We don't need to get our ducks in a row before we come to Him. He formed us, knows us, and wants us to bring our whole selves to Him, as we are (Genesis 2). There’s no plastic surgery, makeup, or coverups happening—what you see is true.
Related Resource: Practical Ways to Disciple Gen-Z
Raising the next generation presents some very unique challenges. Recent statistics show that half of Gen Z children raised in the church are leaving the faith after they leave the nest. And recent research from Barna shows that only 4% of Gen Z has a Biblical worldview. How do you disciple them? How do you relate? What obstacles do they face and how can you teach them to pray? Catherine and her guests will answer all of those questions in this series on disciplining Gen Z. Listen to the first episode below and be sure to follow Christian Parent, Crazy World on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
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3. The Beauty of Slowing Down
In a culture dominated by speed and overstimulation, it’s no surprise that Gen Z is also stepping away from screens and into simplicity. While many are still glued to their phones, others are forgoing them altogether. Handwritten journals and planners offer a creative outlet without overstimulation. Tactile hobbies like knitting, sewing, pottery, and painting take this one step further, revealing a great spiritual need: Rest.
Our society lives at a rapid-fire pace. Rest is a dirty word, and hustle is praised. We always have too much to do and not enough time to do it. Yet when we look at God’s original plan for us, tracing back to the 10 commandments, we see that rest is a gift.
Exodus 20:8-11 says it this way: "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy" (NIV).
The Sabbath was never meant to box us in, but to birth within us a deep sense of rest that only comes from pausing, trusting, and sitting with the Lord (Exodus 20:8-11, Mark 2:27-28). Sabbath forces us to stop ceasing and place our confidence in Him.
God designed us to pause and be still. Gen Z’s craving for slower rhythms is not accidental—it echoes the spiritual rest only God can give. Their analog practices—mindfulness, listening to music, letter-writing—aren’t just calming. They’re a doorway to recognizing our need for Someone greater.
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4. Created for Connectivity
While it might just seem like a trend, analogue nostalgia centers around shared experiences—being in the present with those you can share special moments with. Activities like listening to vinyl records, shopping for retro clothes, or having a pen-pal, for example, are much different than engaging through a screen. Technology can be beneficial. It connects us all over the world. But when we’re oversaturated by its connectivity, we’re left yearning for true connection and community. In Genesis 2:18, God knew it wasn’t good for us to be alone:
"The LORD God said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him" (NIV).
Though He had handcrafted Adam and all creation, Adam needed Eve, and they both needed God. Today, we still need this deep fellowship. Our desire for true companionship isn’t just normal, but healthy—it points beyond Eden. We’re created to need and be in relationship with God and each other.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Evgeniia Siiankovskaia
5. The Longing Beneath the Trend
Analog nostalgia isn’t just a fad; it’s a cry for truth, simplicity, and meaningful relationships with God and others. If you’re feeling lost or disconnected in a culture obsessed with “being on,” I encourage you to take a step back. Step away from the phone.
Take a walk. Look at the world around you and really see. Write a letter. Listen to a friend and hear. Snuggle up with a blanket. Talk to your spouse without scrolling on the other hand. Focus on the present, be yourself, and take a moment to slow down.
These small steps will feel countercultural, but so is Jesus. He didn’t come to make us comfortable. He came to transform us into a world that doesn’t quite fit.
A Prayer for Peace and Identity
Dear God,
In a world constantly searching for peace and identity, help us recognize that our longings point to a greater need for you. Teach us to slow down, come as we are, and embrace the present moment. Draw Gen Z—and all of us—closer to your heart. We love, praise, and thank you, Lord.
Amen.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/LillyRoadstones
Sources: https://www.growingyoungdisciples.co.uk/article/the-vinyl-and-the-eternal-what-analogue-nostalgia-tells-us-about-gen-zs-hearts/
https://vocal.media/education/why-gen-z-is-obsessed-with-analog-everything-and-what-that-says-about-us-xjh4o07y7
https://www.standard.net/lifestyle/home_and_family/2025/mar/19/tech-matters-the-analog-comeback-when-gen-z-starts-asking-for-tech-help/
Originally published Wednesday, 09 July 2025.