You might not assume a 29-year-old who enjoys going out Taylor Swift performing in concerts, playing rugby, and making TikToks with the aim of becoming a priest.
However, Reverend Pippa White, who serves as the curate for the Faulds, Whitchurch, and Tilstock parish in Shropshire, informed MailOnline that she is thoroughly content with defying conventions.
While attending university, she began contemplating the idea of becoming a priest—even prior to her baptism, which she received later than typical, at the age of 19.
Before joining the ministry, she tended bar at pubs to cover her expenses following her graduation.
But despite what some might think, she found that chatting with punters was not worlds away from counselling parishioners.
She told MailOnline, "There’s a saying – the sole distinction between serving as a barmaid and becoming a priest is that there isn’t a bar separating you from individuals when they share their issues with you! It’s an oft-repeated jest."
Ms. White has also since declared herself as a proud " TikTok The vicar — who has amassed approximately 20,000 followers on her page — describes herself in her bio as "simply a clergywoman."
She creates cheerful content wearing her dog collar, including a recent video playfully addressing the challenges of being unmarried — particularly the frequent necessity of performing weddings. For Ms. White, these TikToks serve as an effective complement to her pastoral work.
After her sister advised her to carve out a niche as a 'TikTok vicar,' the curate began producing videos. This venture not only allowed her to engage more effectively with her congregation in person but also provided an outlet for sharing her ministry online.
Ms White mentioned that after her granddaughter showed her some of her TikToks, she said: "[The parishioners] find it hilarious. It’s actually quite heartwarming."
During a recent stroll around the parish, her presence sparked conversations: ‘A woman approached me and asked, “Don’t you have an account on TikTok?” To which I replied, “Yes, indeed.”’
'And then that led into a conversation about the family service and how she wants to come to the family service at church. And I think people just find it a breath of fresh air.'
She said: 'With being the Church of England, we have our parishes and our parish system and it's all about, "How do you reach out to your people in your parish?"
Historically, it was more about, “Whom can I meet face-to-face?” However, with the advent of social media, it has opened up an entirely new method for connecting with individuals.
However, the Reverend has faced intense backlash online regarding her actions, with certain viewers criticizing the playful aspect of her content.
Recently posted videos feature jokes about the challenges of instructing Sunday school children about Saint Valentine when one is single and cynical, as well as how responding to a congregant’s query about what heaven might be like with simply mentioning eating mozzarella cheese could be the perfect reply.
Ms. White stated, "I have received direct messages from individuals who strongly disagree with my actions."
However, for her: "The manner in which I create my TikToks mirrors how I conduct my ministry on a daily basis, person-to-person."
If I stroll down the main road, I am much more inclined to casually crack a small jest at someone as I walk past instead of saying, 'We ought to discuss religion.'
She added: 'Because I didn't formally come to faith until I was an adult, I think my past has really given me a help in understanding what the church can feel like as an outsider.
'I can remember thinking how daunting it was and how exposing it would be to talk about your faith.
'Actually, for certain individuals, it genuinely requires time, trust, motivation, things along those lines.'
'Thus, similarly, I would never create TikToks saying something along the lines of, "Okay, share your beliefs with me" — I wouldn’t ask that to someone face-to-face either.'
While she has not really experienced any hate or criticism offline, people she meets are sometimes surprised to hear about her interests outside the priesthood.
She plays for a rugby squad, has attended Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, and enjoys a night out, even though she finds it challenging to lead a Sunday service the following day, as she shared in a TikTok post.
During rugby practice, she stated: "People always make remarks like, 'Look at that priest making that tackle.' And I find it fantastic."
She clarified that this statement assists her in demonstrating to others, "'I can also be ordinary": Vicars are not individuals with three heads or extraterrestrial beings who have landed!"
'In fact, we are also human beings. And I believe that’s wonderful.'
She noted that being a young woman serving as an Anglican priest can still be surprising for some members of the congregation.
In 1994, the Church of England began ordaining its first female priests – and currently, fewer than one-third of Anglican leadership positions are held by women, as indicated by recent statistics.
According to the data released by the Church's governing body, the General Synod, in 2022, only 30.4 percent of positions held by clergy members of the Anglican Communion are occupied by women.
The Reverend recalled her time serving as a hospital chaplain during her training: "'People often said, 'Wow, you’re so young to be a vicar, isn’t that right?'"
She mentioned, “Nowadays, you call ahead to ask, ‘Mind if I drop by?’ Then all the relatives gather in the front room, anticipating the arrival of the vicar.”
And when I knock on the door, you'll notice their expressions seem to say, 'Oh, this isn’t quite what we anticipated!' ... But it turns out to be a fantastic conversation starter.
That’s what she adores about TikTok: "What truly brought me joy was being able to present myself as someone few within my religious community had ever encountered."
But she understands why some people feel strongly about her online content - because faith is important to people, 'the thing you build your entire life around'.
She stated: "I believe it is extremely challenging, and I experience this personally, when individuals express and perceive their beliefs in a significantly distinct manner..."
And thus, I believe it’s challenging, especially for more traditional Christians, to see the content I post, as this is an incredibly profound issue for all parties concerned, and nobody wants to approach it frivolously.
And that is far from her intention: 'The big reason why I do my TikToks is I don't want people to feel like that is an alternative to going to church.'
She stated: "To me, TikTok is primarily about sharing with others the potential of having a fulfilling life filled with faith, church, and community."
Ms. White stated, "I joined TikTok as this kind of 'TikTok vicar' mainly because, especially for younger people, there are misunderstandings regarding churches and how clergy members may appear."
I believe many individuals are hesitant to attend church as they fear being judged. They worry about performing incorrectly during the service, with others watching and wondering, 'What are they doing?'
So, when I say, "This is how I serve," it also highlights that my wonderful parish churches stand behind me, sharing similarities in how we foster our communities.
'So, it’s really about motivating individuals to consider that the church may not be as they imagine it and simply giving it a chance. Explore these communities and see what they could potentially offer.'
And though people might assume Gen Z are not the most spiritual types, recent research has proven they are far more interested than we might think.
Sales of Bibles jumped by 87 percent from 2019 to 2024, increasing revenues from £2.6 million to over £5 million. Experts attribute a significant portion of this growth to individuals born between 1997 and 2012.
Dr Michael Nazir-Ali, the ex-Anglican Bishop of Rochester who embraced Catholicism, stated: "Generation Z has moved past the barrier set by the baby boomers in the 1960s who rejected Christianity."
'They are open to spirituality, and quite open to the figure of Jesus. A lot are coming for confirmation, and young adults are being baptised.'
The sales increase was disclosed by the Christian publishing house SPCK, with its CEO Sam Richardson stating: "Individuals from Gen Z are much less inclined to label themselves as atheists compared to their parents."
Ms. White thought that having a young priest like herself might prove beneficial for young individuals who are just beginning to explore their faith.
She stated: "Young individuals perceive me as someone who will experience many aspects they'll face throughout their lives, unlike when speaking with another age group, where explanations are necessary such as defining 'What is TikTok?' and elaborating on why these things matter."
'That stuff can be set aside, right? When speaking with someone your own age, allowing you to delve into the core issues.'
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