Biblical Convictions Decline Among US Churchgoers, Study Finds
A recent study by the Family Research Council and Arizona Christian University's Cultural Research Center reveals a decline in biblical conviction among regular US churchgoers, particularly on issues like family, life, and morality.
Findings from the study, titled “Social Issues and Worldview: A National Survey of Churchgoing Americans”, show that fewer than half of churchgoers now identify as pro-life or support a traditional definition of family, Christian Today reported.
“Once-firm beliefs about family, life, and morality are giving way to cultural influence and personal opinion. Even among regular churchgoers, moral clarity is fading fast,” stated lead researcher Dr George Barna.
Only 43% of these churchgoers now call themselves “pro-life,” down sharply from 63% in 2023. When it came to the traditional (biblical) view of family, 46% believe it is a marriage between one man and one woman with children. However, that number is even lower (34%) among Gen Z.
The three groups with the strongest support for the biblical idea of family were Asian believers (55%), Pentecostal members (56%), and born-again Christians (59%).
The study also found that about 51% believe the Bible’s message on abortion is straightforward, a drop from 65% in 2023.
“The media bombardment favoring a new moral standard is clearly having a transformative effect on Americans,” Barna explained. “Perhaps the best way to combat the decline in biblical moral perspectives is for Bible-believing Christians to be more candid and bolder in engaging friends and family in dialogue about critical moral issues.”
“We cannot let unbiblical views go unchallenged. Christ-followers must not only know what they believe and why, but must be actively seeking to challenge points of view that are biblically indefensible.”
The director of FRC’s Center for Biblical Worldview and co-author of the report, David Closson, echoed similar sentiments, noting that the trends reflect “a discipleship problem, not primarily a political one.”
“When the people of God lose moral clarity on something as fundamental as the sanctity of life, it signals a serious discipleship crisis.”
“The next generation is being catechized daily by social media, entertainment, and academia—often more effectively than by the local church.”
The study is based on surveys of more than 1,000 adults who attend Christian worship services at least once a month.
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Originally published October 16, 2025.
