Brineknit is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that was started in January of 2020 to provide oversight and provision for the development of ministry to Gen Z. Our Executive Director, Hannah Ploegstra, has been working with youth and young adults for over 20 years as a Bible teacher, trainer, mentor, writer, and advocate. As a mother of four Gen Zers, Hannah has insight into the unique character, qualities, and needs of this generation that is valuable to Gen Z as well as those who minister to them.

Our local ministry takes place at The Space Life House 901 W. Center Ave, where we offer one-on-one mentoring, warfare and healing prayer ministry, and life conversations with Gen Z. We also hold group classes and training for young people and the ministries and families who support them. Our focus in local ministry is to help Gen Z get reconnected with God, with their true identities, and with God’s multigenerational family in our community.

We have vision for locally-run, multigenerational Life Houses to spring up in many communities nationwide, equipped by the perspectives and approaches being developed in Brineknit through your support!

Gen Z is a generation in need of healing. Where others tend to focus on the “issues” that Gen Z is facing (sexual identity, porn and other addictions, mental health, failure to thrive, etc), our focus is on knowing the whole person and healing their vital, joy-based connection to a whole life system. We hold the Bible as ultimate authority and find in its pages a promise of the restoration of our true humanity as we are reconnected within the network of life that God has provided. We believe that Gen Z is in crisis not only because of beliefs but because of a shattered worldview and sense of self that has disconnected them from creation, home, and family.

Next year (2025) is the first year of a new generation of humans, named Gen Beta. I’m calling our broad ministry focus the “Z4BETA Vision Project” because we believe that God has given us strategies that will not only support Gen Z now as young adults, but also will equip and train them and their communities to step into adult leadership, marriage, and parenting in a way that will prove vital for the health and survival of future generations.

I write more about this here: "Why We Need To Talk About Gen Beta Now"

Gen Z needs we met locally in 2024:

• healing and restoration from porn addiction
  
• biblical perspectives on gender and sexuality given in group and individual conversations
  
• prayer ministry and recovery from participation in occult activity
  
• support and healing from spiritual or church hurt and restoration to the Christian community
  
• developing daily skills of walking with God in relationship, holiness, and joy
  
• young adult community building across church boundaries (Visalia, Woodlake, Tulare, Fresno)
  
• safe relationships to explore secular identity messaging and its impact on lifestyle
  
• support for young Gen Z couples considering or newly into marriage
  
• support for young Gen Z couples or singles with small children
  
• connections with healthy older people who can provide a variety of support and resources
  
• support for parents of Gen Z jr. highers and high schoolers struggling with sexual identity
  

Goal #1: Create Foundational Resources

We are currently developing an online resource that will allow Gen Zers from all over the nation and world to access the same perspectives and support that we offer in our local ministry! Some of the Gen Z concerns we will specifically address in these resources:

• questions about identity
  
• biblical teaching on the values of male and female
  
• relational and emotional maturity
  
• worldview that frees and equips for work in the world
  
• brain science to help Gen Z cooperate with God’s design for health and growth
  
• building a foundation of gospel “abiding”
  

Included in our resources are opportunities to connect via Zoom with other young adults worldwide and with a caring multigenerational community.

Goal #2: Speak, Consult, and Train

Our resources will connect Gen Z to local support in their area through our networking with individual families, local churches, and parachurch organizations.

We would love to partner with your organization to bring encouragement and perspective to your Gen Z audience and/or the older generations who care about Gen Z.

Goal #3: Increase Support Network

Currently we are a two-person staff and we are in need of more support to stabilize our future in this ministry! We need support in the following areas:

• Prayer commitment - please commit to pray for our protection against the enemy
  
• Networking and fundraising - share us with others and encourage them to pray and give
  
• Financial commitment - commit to a monthly or one-time larger donation to keep us going
  

In order to expand our reach and develop this ministry, we have an immediate need for increased funding in early 2025 to pursue development of this vision. Our 2025 funding needs are:

Staff & Interns: $11,000/month

Expenses: $2000/month

Conference: $10,000/year

Total need (2025): $166,000

Please share this site with your friends and family who are interested in supporting a research-based biblical approach to restoring Gen Z globally. The future of our families depends on this restoration!

“One of the pressing needs for existing ministries like Life Model Works is reaching and engaging the next generation. For that reason Hannah Ploegstra and her ministry are regular topics in our staff meetings and plans. We depend upon her vision and leadership.” Rev. Jim Wilder Ph.D. (Neurotheologian; Life Model Works; Author: Renovated and Escaping Enemy Mode)

“For those of us on the frontlines trying to make a difference in the lives of young people, when it feels like such a daunting path that we're not quite sure how to navigate, we need a guide. Enter Hannah Ploegstra, with her invaluable insights into Gen Z, and her hands-on experience in bridging the gap with adult mentors, which puts her in the position to help us find our way!” Reverend Matthew Wertin (Catholic Priest; Pastor of St. Mary's, Montrose, CO)

"I had the privilege to meet Hannah and her people by being a volunteer during a Gen Z retreat organized by Brineknit. The experience during that weekend was a beam of hope and an answer to prayer. I got to witness that Hannah and her team are called and empowered by God for a time like this. They are offering the young generation a safe place to be heard, understood, a church environment that they want to belong and reproduce – I got to hear this over and over during one-on-one conversations. A place to attach to Jesus and to the multigenerational family of God, a place to be healed and restore into the people God sees in them. Hannah and her team are breaking ground in a way of doing discipleship and spiritual maturity for the young ones confused and isolated relationally. I see God molding a way of hope not only for Gen Z but for the whole church community in this time in history." (Claudia Hendricks, Director of International Relations at Life Model Works)

“As a ‘Gentle Protector’ (grandparent) it has been my pleasure to come alongside Hannah in a supportive role. Hannah offers valuable insight into talking with and understanding the challenges and opportunities in front of GenZ and has made a positive and instructive impact on my relationships through her ministry.” (Jean McAbee, Fresno, CA)

“I have been connected with a non-profit ministry called Life Model Works for over 20 years, and one of our main tenets is to have 3 generations together, each giving and each receiving. This is not easy to achieve in our culture, but Hannah Ploegstra is making it happen - more than anyone else I have seen. I attended a conference that she hosted this summer in which I saw God blessing this cross-generational wholeness. Hannah connects with Gen Z through classes that she teaches, through meals she serves from her own home, and through a ministry in a neutral location called, "The Space." She is an outstanding speaker and writer and has a passion to extend belonging and a healthy sense of identity to Gen Z. I consider her to be a forerunner in the Kingdom of God in this area. I highly recommend Hannah Ploegstra and Brineknit as worthy of standing behind and supporting in every way possible.” (Richard Murphy, Executive Board, Life Model Works)

“Hannah’s teachings helped transform my mind to the power of relationships and the healing factors of the brain. I currently work at a men's impatient program where I teach the men everything that my spiritual mentor, Hannah, teaches me. Thank you for supporting her and her ministry.” (Roman Bravo, Faith Fighters Men’s Home, Tulare, CA)

“My wife and I helped with a Gen Z retreat that Hannah planned, and we got to see first hand the beautiful and challenging work she does with the younger generation who are struggling and don’t know who they are. It is obvious that God has called her to this task, and these young adults respond to her. We look forward to working with and helping Hannah in the future and encourage you to get involved too. God is at work!” (Michel Hendricks, Director of Life Model Consulting)