As young Christians abandon the faith, AFA says pray for a repeat of revival from American history

TUPELO, Miss. —  As a new report from the Pew Research Center shows an increasing number of young Christians rejecting the faith in favor of  “nothing in particular,” the American Family Association (AFA, www.AFA.net) is exhorting Christians “to ignite and seek a new awakening and revival.”

Pew says the demographic trends survey is not predictive, but presents possible scenarios of what could happen without significant events that have historically compelled greater numbers to seek faith and repentance, like “war, economic depression, climate crisis, changing immigration patterns or religious innovations.” The projections, which cannot show changes in the trend based on the events listed above that have not yet occurred, predicts the number of self-identified American Christians will drop from 64% to as low as 35% by 2070. At the same time the population of “nones,” who confess nothing in particular, “would rise from the current 30% to somewhere between 34% and 52% of the U.S. population.”

AFA Executive Vice President Ed Vitagliano said the hope of another Great Awakening, and the expectation of the second coming, are powerful motivations for today’s believers to faithfully persevere.  

“There’s no doubt that the religious trends in this nation are going in the wrong direction. But we should remind ourselves that this has actually happened before in America,” Vitagliano said. “Prior to both Great Awakenings, the practice of the Christian faith waned dramatically, and prior to the Revolutionary War, research shows that only 17% of Americans actually belonged to a church. Still, in 2022, there are tens of millions of believers whom the God of heaven could use to ignite a new awakening and revival. In any case, whether a majority or a minority in any particular country, the true church of Jesus Christ will live on and prosper, awaiting the return of her Lord and Savior.”

For over 40 years, AFA has operated within the mission to inform, equip, and activate individuals to strengthen the moral foundations of American culture and give aid to the church here and abroad in its task of fulfilling the Great Commission.  Founded in 1977, AFA has long been on the front lines of America’s culture war. Today, AFA is one of the largest and most effective pro-family organizations in the country, with nearly a million online supporters and approximately 110,000 subscribers to The Stand (formerly known as the AFA Journal), the ministry’s monthly magazine.  Find AFA Action Alerts here.  In addition, AFA owns and operates nearly 180 radio stations across the country under the American Family Radio banner. 

View the media page for AFA here. For more information on American Family Association, visit www.afa.net or follow AFA on Facebook or Twitter @AmericanFamAssc.        

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To interview an AFA spokesperson, contact Media@HamiltonStrategies.com, Beth Harrison, 610.584.1096, ext. 105, or Deborah Hamilton, ext. 102.