AMANDA REPORTS: Five Trends That Are Shaping The Future of Marriage, Families
(QUICK READ) — Marriage remains important to Americans as a vital institution despite cultural decline and divorce rates, according to recent Barna Group research.
Research by the Fort Worth, Texas-based research firm entitled “Marriage and Divorce in 2025: Five Trends Shaping Today’s Families” reveals first, while fewer of today’s adults are married, most still want to marry ultimately.
A second key finding shows although divorce is steady, half of divorcees are remarrying. Third is that cohabitation is rare, though increasingly accepted in some quarters of the Christian communities.
Photo by Sandy Millar on Unsplash
The fourth trend is that Christians experience divorce as often as the general population. Fifth and finally, Gen Zers believe in marriage but view family and commitment differently than older generations.
Over a steady 70-year decline since the 1950s, first-time marriages are down with about half of U.S. adults married as of 2024, which means most Americans are not married, according to Barna and the U.S. Census.
Finding ways to meet the needs of more people in non-nuclear — that is, non-traditional — family structures is gaining recognition in Christian churches. Though pastors and ministry leaders work to reach their congregations consisting of most who view marriage as a sacred, stabilizing bond, they face challenges that involve cohabitation, divorce and other indicators of cultural decline.
The U.S. Census shows only a small number of people live together outside of marriage, yet it is a growing issue pastors view as troubling in their churches, including Christians who believe it is a good idea to live with someone prior to a marriage commitment.
Barna notes, “Marriage remains one of the most visible, and vulnerable, institutions shaping the lives of people in and beyond the Church. For pastors and ministry leaders, understanding how marriage patterns are shifting isn’t just about tracking cultural trends—it’s about recognizing the real relational contexts families are bringing into their congregations.”
PREVIOUSLY ON AMANDA REPORTS:
North Korea, Sudan, Yemen Among Top 10 Most Dangerous Places For Christians
Survey Finds Love and Generosity Increase With More Bible Reading
Strong Personal Identity Linked to Bible Reading