Christians Hesitant to Talk About Faith Outside of Home

By Aaron Earls

Most Christians have taken the first step to evangelism—getting to know non-Christians. But it’s the next few steps they haven’t braved.

A Pew Research study finds most Christians say at least some of their close friends don’t share their religious beliefs, but few regularly talk about religion with people outside of their family.

Among all Christians, 43% say all or most of their close friends share their religious beliefs, while 45% say some do and 12% say hardly any or none.

Evangelicals are more likely to have more close friendships with those who share their beliefs, but still most have at least some who disagree.

Around half (48%) say all or most of their friends share their religious beliefs, leaving 42% who say some and 9% who say hardly any or none.

Historically black Protestants are most likely to say all or most of their close friends share their beliefs (56%). Those who are religious unaffiliated but not atheist or agnostic are the least likely to say their friends share their religious beliefs (20%).

Among all American adults, 34% say all or most of their close friends share their beliefs, 46% say some, and 19% say hardly any or none.

A Pew Research study on teenagers found similar numbers for high school students.

More than a third (36%) say all or most of their friends share their religious beliefs, 42% say some of them, and 22% say hardly any or none.

Few religious conversations

Among adults, few say they talk about religion at least once or twice a month with their family (39%) or others (31%).

Half of Christians (51%) say they regularly talk about religion with their family, while 31% have conversations with those outside their home.

Evangelicals and historically black Protestants are the most likely to bring up the subject.

Two thirds of evangelicals (65%) and 60% of historically black Protestants say they talk with their family about religion at least once or twice a month.

Close to half—53% of evangelicals and 47% of black Protestants—say they regularly talk about religion with people outside their family.

Atheists are the least likely to bring up the subject with their family (14%) and others (15%).

According to a Lifeway Research study of Protestant churchgoers, 39% say spiritual matters come up as a normal part of their daily conversations with other Christians.

Fewer attempts at conversions

When religious disagreements do come up, few American adults (4%) say they try to persuade the other person to change their mind.

Most (62%) say they try to understand the person’s beliefs and agree to disagree, while a third (33%) say they avoid discussing religion with the person.

Evangelicals are the most likely to say they try to change the other person’s mind (11%) and least likely to say they avoid discussing religion with them (19%).

Still 69% of evangelicals say they simply try to understand the person’s beliefs and agree to disagree.

Lifeway Research found 56% of Protestant churchgoers say they pray for opportunities to tell others about Jesus at least once a week, with 23% praying for such moments every day.

Despite that, less than half (45%) have shared with someone in the past six months how to become a Christian.

AARON EARLS (@WardrobeDoor) is online editor of Facts & Trends.