This paper explores the use of participatory research, a collaborative approach that actively involves participants in the research process to generate deeper, context-rich insights, to investigate Generation Z's religious and spiritual role models. Employing the story completion method, 100 participants aged 18 to 27 were asked to creatively complete a fictional narrative about an online encounter with religious or spiritual exemplar, and to complete a supplemental demographic survey about themselves. Story completion emerges as a promising qualitative alternative to direct interviews, particularly for uncovering latent beliefs—those subconscious or unspoken assumptions that shape individual worldviews. It is especially effective for exploring sensitive or taboo topics, such as religion, where social desirability bias or discomfort may obscure genuine responses in traditional interviews. Reflexive thematic analysis, guided by the Exemplarist Narrative framework, was applied to the data, identifying five narrative types. These narrative types reveal the multifaceted and often ambivalent ways Gen Z navigates spiritual authority, institutional critique, and personal meaning-making. The study's findings underscore the utility of participatory research and story completion for engaging younger participants through creative expression, providing an innovative lens for understanding the shifting spiritual landscapes of Generation Z. The paper also discusses the potential for broader applications of this method in future research.