Childhood faith conversations predict adult practice, study finds

First on Fox: A new study suggests that a person’s connection to faith may begin at home, not in church. Communio, a nonprofit organization that uses data-driven services and practical tools to strengthen families, has partnered with Harvard University to study how childhood faith experiences shape Christians later in life.

In 2024, the Pew Research Center reports that 28% of adults in the United States do not belong to any religion. Communio sought to identify the key factors behind generational faith and how parents can pass on their faith to their children. The Communio survey found that simply talking about faith in childhood can shape how children experience it as adults.

“Previous research has shown that the growth of religious disaffiliation is the result of generational succession — meaning that each younger generation is, on average, less religious than the one before it. At the most basic level, the so-called rise of ‘religious disaffiliation’ is a result of older generations being less effective in sharing the gospel with younger generations,” said J.B. DeGans, founder and president of Communio, and author of “The Pastor’s Handbook.”

A survey of more than 16,000 church-going adults found that regular childhood conversations about faith are one of the strongest predictors of practicing faith in adulthood. Churchgoers who had regular conversations about faith in childhood reported greater forgiveness toward those who hurt them and a greater sense of belonging to their church community, according to the survey.

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Additionally, Communio and Harvard found that churchgoers who recalled having at least weekly conversations with their parents about faith had 2.5 times higher odds of having regular conversations about faith with their children. The odds rose for those who remembered having everyday conversations, giving them more than 7.5 times higher odds of having the same conversations with their children, according to the report.

However, despite acknowledging the impact of conversations about faith on their lives, less than half (48%) of churchgoers who answered the survey question reported that they had at least weekly conversations with their children.

“The good news here is that any Christian parent who is not already having these conversations with their children can take a step today to make this a regular part of their routine,” DeGans said.

A new study finds that having open conversations about faith at home is a strong predictor of practicing faith in adulthood. (Jacob Wackerhausen/iStock/Getty Images Plus)

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In addition to the importance of conversations with parents, the study found that parents, in particular, have an important role to play in their children’s faith.

Communio’s latest working paper found that “church-going adults were more likely to attend church regularly in adulthood if they reported attending church with their father weekly or frequently in childhood at age 12.” In addition to attending church more regularly, the study found that a good or very good relationship with one’s father was associated with a higher level of tolerance and a greater sense of belonging to the church community.

In a surprising twist, Communio found that a better relationship with the father was associated with a lower likelihood of having open conversations about faith with his children.

“Although the data in this working paper are unable to address the question of why this might be the case, this finding provides a pastoral educational opportunity. Many good things can come from parents going to church and having a positive relationship with their children, but these are not necessarily ‘silver bullets,'” the pastor’s guide says.

The guide states that open conversations about faith “may be an important piece of the puzzle” when it comes to generational faith.

A child clasps his hands in prayer over a Bible outdoors, symbolizing faith at the heart of a recent court battle involving a California school district and a Christian sorority. (Istock)

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When it comes to implementing faith-filled conversations, the Pastor’s Guide suggests parents “sanctify” everyday moments, like running errands or eating dinner by having “short, open conversations about faith” in those instances. This could include simply asking your child what they are grateful to God for that day. Some examples of questions include: “How have you seen God show up in your life this week?” and “What should we pray for today?”

The guide also stresses that “parents do not need to be theologians or biblical scholars to have these conversations.” Communio has found that simply having open conversations to encourage faith can be the solution.