Gen Z fact-checks in real time — credibility and truth-telling are now more important than ever for teachers and pastors

Gen Z can and does check claims in real time via smartphones and tablets. This is novel — previous generations would debate questions without instant access to answers. Gen Z does not abandon the idea of truth, but uses instant access to information both to find truth and to suppress it. If a pastor or teacher gets something wrong, credibility is lost instantly in the eyes of this generation. Trust is one of the most important commodities with Gen Z. Leaders must ask: why should a young person listen to me above all the other voices? The answer includes both relationship and credibility built by doing homework and not parroting false information.