Just months after making headlines during March Madness, South Florida native Chase Johnston is stepping into a new chapter. It’s one that is focused not on basketball, but on faith.
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Johnston first made a name for himself on the court as a standout at Westminster Academy in Fort Lauderdale. He set a national high school record before continuing his success at High Point University, where he earned a place in the NCAA record books as one of Division I basketball’s top three-point shooters.
“A few months ago was wild, March Madness, all the stuff that happened there—it was life-changing,” he told NBC6.
Many expected Johnston to pursue a professional basketball career. Instead, he’s choosing a different path. He said that he wants to work at a local church and possibly become a pastor.
Johnston’s decision reflects what researchers say is a growing trend among Generation Z. While many Americans have become less connected to organized religion in recent years, new research suggests younger adults are beginning to return to church.
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According to Barna Research, Gen Z now reports the highest rate of in-person church attendance of any generation. Young adults have increased their church attendance from just over once a month in 2020 to nearly twice a month in 2025.
For Johnston, that trend is deeply personal.
“I want to help young kids and people who are lost and broken,” he said.
Today, Johnston is serving in ministry and learning under church leadership as he prepares for what he believes is his life’s calling.
After years of hitting three-pointers in front of thousands of fans, Johnston hopes his greatest impact will come from a pulpit—guiding the next generation through faith.
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