Data released by the broadcaster Fox News during an interview this Wednesday (15) point out that young Americans are leading a “spiritual renewal movement” in the United States. The phenomenon, described as a “resurgence of Christianity”, has been driven by new generations who return to attending churches, consuming religious content and publicly expressing their faith.
The data was presented during the program Fox & Friendswhere Christian singer and influencer Anne Wilson was interviewed. According to Wilson, there is currently an “authentic awakening among young people in the USA, driven by artists and influencers of our generation”.
The data shown by the broadcaster reinforces this trend. According to a survey by Circana BookScan, a book sales monitoring service used by the North American publishing market, annual Bible sales in the USA have grown 41.6% since 2022. Downloads of religion and spirituality applications have increased 79.5% since 2019, according to data from SensorTower, a platform that analyzes the performance of mobile applications in stores such as the App Store and Google Play. In the same period, contemporary Christian music streams on Spotify rose 50%, according to Music Insights at Illuminate, a company specializing in music sector metrics and digital consumption.
A recent survey by the American institute Barna Group confirms the generational change. According to the survey, for the first time in decades, younger generations – called “Millennials” and “Generation Z” – have become the most regular groups in US churches, surpassing older adults, traditionally the most faithful audience. The study reveals that young Christians from Generation Z attend church in the US, on average, 1.9 weekends per month, while millennials go 1.8 times – rates that represent the biggest growth since the pre-pandemic period.
Daniel Copeland, vice president of research at Barna Group, said, “It’s rare to see an increase in attendance among younger people. Typically, it’s older adults who are the most loyal churchgoers. This data represents good news for faith leaders and shows that a spiritual renewal is shaping Gen Z and millennials.”
According to David Kinnaman, CEO of Barna, this transformation requires a new look from churches: “The fabric of congregational life is changing – more vibrant, less gray. The renewed interest needs to be well managed.” He explains that simply attending churches does not guarantee a deep Christian experience, but it does open opportunities for discipleship and genuine connection.
The numbers and testimonies indicate a movement towards reconnection with faith and Christian values, after years of decline in religious practice in the USA.
