A new study from Barna shows that 66% of U.S. adults now say they have made a personal commitment to Jesus that is still important in their life today. That marks a 12-point increase since 2021, when the number reached its lowest level in more than 30 years of Barna tracking.
According to Barna’s estimates, the increase represents nearly 30 million more adults in the U.S. who say they are personally committed to Jesus compared to four years ago.
“Undeniably, there is renewed interest in Jesus,” said David Kinnaman, CEO of Barna. “This is the clearest trend we’ve seen in more than a decade pointing to spiritual renewal.”
The growth has been especially concentrated among Gen Z and millennials. Gen Z men reported a 15-point increase in personal commitment to Jesus between 2019 and 2025. Millennial men reported a 19-point increase over the same period.
Barna’s research also draws a distinction between Christian self-identity and personal commitment to Jesus, clarifying that the two categories do not fully overlap. Nearly 3 in 10 people who do not identify as Christian still say they have made a personal commitment to Jesus. This number is currently near an all-time high. Barna theorizes this may be due to a growing number of people who are open to spirituality and Jesus, but hesitant to embrace organized religion or identify as Christian.
“At this time, we are seeing interest in Jesus that is growing among those who do not otherwise describe themselves as Christians, indicating that many of the new followers of Jesus are not just ‘recycled’ believers,” Kinnaman said. “Along with younger generations coming to Jesus, this is another strong sign that interest in Jesus is brewing in new population segments of society.”
Kinnaman added that while the data reflects clear trends, the reasons behind the shift are less certain.
“While social research can effectively track trends, it may not always identify the root causes behind them,” he said.
Barna’s full report is available here.
Title: Commitment to Jesus in the U.S. Hits a 10-Year High
URL: https://relevantmagazine.com/faith/church/commitment-to-jesus-in-the-u-s-hits-a-10-year-high/
Source: REL ::: RELEVANT
Source URL: http://www.relevantmagazine.com/rss/relevantmagazine.xml
Date: April 7, 2025 at 07:06PM
Feedly Board(s): Religion