In a surprising revelation, a recent survey highlights a notable shift in the moral and biblical beliefs of regular churchgoers in the United States. The study, conducted by the Family Research Council (FRC) and the Cultural Research Center (CRC) at Arizona Christian University, delves into changing perspectives on family, life, and morality among Christians attending worship services at least monthly.
The report, entitled “Social Issues and Worldview: A National Survey of Churchgoing Americans”, gathered insights from over 1,000 adults. It revealed that fewer than half of these individuals now consider themselves pro-life or adhere to a traditional biblical view of family.
Lead researcher Dr. George Barna noted, “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.”
The survey’s findings indicate a significant drop in pro-life identification among church attendees, with only 43% currently embracing this stance, compared to 63% in previous years.
Additionally, only 46% uphold the traditional family model of a marriage between one man and one woman with children, with this view plummeting to 34% among Generation Z.
Support for the traditional family structure is strongest among born-again Christians (59%), Pentecostal church members (56%), and Asian believers (55%).
Confidence in the Bible’s clear stance on abortion has also waned; only about 51% believe its message is unambiguous, a decrease from 65% in earlier surveys.
Dr. Barna emphasized the impact of media, stating, “The media bombardment favouring a new moral standard is clearly having a transformative effect on Americans. 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.”
David Closson, director of FRC’s Center for Biblical Worldview and co-author of the report, pointed to a “discipleship problem” rather than a political one, highlighting the need for stronger guidance within the church.
Closson explained, “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.”
Despite these challenges, Dr. Barna sees potential for renewal, asserting, “The vast majority of churchgoers still affirm core biblical truths about God and human value.”
He continued, “These convictions provide a foundation for rebuilding. I’m convinced the best response is not retreat but engagement. Bible-believing Christians must be more candid and bolder in engaging friends and family in dialogue about critical moral issues. We cannot let unbiblical views go unchallenged.
“This moment demands courageous leadership—pastors, parents, and educators willing to confront increasing cultural confusion with biblical clarity. Without decisive discipleship and intentional teaching, the church will continue to absorb the world’s values rather than transform them through truth.”
Tony Perkins, the president of FRC, echoed these sentiments, stressing the need for robust biblical teaching on contemporary issues.
Perkins stated, “This research shows the great need for biblical teaching on the great issues of our day, like the sanctity of life, the family, and human sexuality. The good news is that Christians are looking to church leaders for guidance.
“This report reminds us that there is much work to do — the church must continue to teach, live, and defend a biblical worldview with conviction and hope.”
Amidst the moral shifts, the survey highlighted that nearly 80% of participants hold a binary view of genders, over 80% believe in the divine image of all people, 83% acknowledge the intrinsic value of human life, and 75% affirm that the God of Scripture is the ultimate source of life.
Dr. Barna concluded, “My hope is that the research findings will guide our shared efforts to rebuild biblical worldview across the nation.
“Now more than ever, we must return to our foundations—grounding believers in God’s Word, restoring moral clarity, and preparing the next generation to know, accept, and stand firm in truth.”
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
