{"id":11213,"date":"2026-10-02T13:55:40","date_gmt":"2026-10-02T13:55:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/strongermarriages\/?p=11213"},"modified":"2026-10-02T13:55:40","modified_gmt":"2026-10-02T13:55:40","slug":"new-campaign-says-americas-family-crisis-wont-be-solved-by-politics-but-by-pastors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/strongermarriages\/2026\/10\/new-campaign-says-americas-family-crisis-wont-be-solved-by-politics-but-by-pastors.html","title":{"rendered":"New Campaign Says America\u2019s Family Crisis Won\u2019t Be Solved By Politics \u2014 But By Pastors"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Adobe Stock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With America\u2019s birthrate falling and young adults increasingly struggling with loneliness, one Christian organization says the solution to the nation\u2019s family crisis may lie in the local church.<\/p>\n

Communio, a nonprofit focused on strengthening marriages and relationships, is launching a nationwide \u201cFamily and Civilization\u201d campaign. It is calling on pastors and churches to take a more active role in helping young people pursue marriage, build healthy relationships and create strong families.<\/p>\n

The campaign comes as the U.S. fertility rate has fallen to about 1.6 births per woman, well below the level needed for a generation to replace itself without immigration.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor every 200 people in a population, they\u2019ll be replaced by only 157,\u201d Communio founder and president J.P. De Gance told Fox News Digital. \u201cWe\u2019re at the cusp of a major civilizational bottleneck.\u201d<\/p>\n

But De Gance argues that reversing the trend requires more than political solutions. Instead, he believes churches can help by changing how Christians talk about marriage and family, particularly with young adults.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur message to churches is we should be helping,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

De Gance said parents and churches often encourage young people to pursue college degrees and successful careers, while placing less emphasis on building relationships and preparing for marriage.<\/p>\n

A 2023 Pew Research Center survey<\/a> found that parents placed far greater importance on their children becoming financially independent and finding satisfying careers than on eventually marrying or having children.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur young people are actually doing what they\u2019re being taught to do,\u201d De Gance said. \u201cThey\u2019re seeking material well-being over and above these enduring, lifelong goods of close connection through marriage and family.\u201d<\/p>\n

Communio wants churches to present a positive vision of Christian marriage from the pulpit. De Gance said 85% of churches spend nothing on marriage and relationship ministry, while 91% offer nothing specifically for singles.<\/p>\n

As an immediate step, pastors can \u201cpreach aspirationally about the beauty of Christian marriage,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

De Gance pointed to Ephesians 5, where the Apostle Paul uses marriage to illustrate Christ\u2019s sacrificial love for the Church. Pastors, he said, can help Christians see marriage not simply as another life milestone but as something worth intentionally preparing for and pursuing.<\/p>\n

The campaign also encourages churches to create more opportunities for young adults to meet face-to-face and form genuine friendships rather than relying primarily on dating apps.<\/p>\n

\u201cChurch should be a venue where young people meet, form community and have fun outside of spiritual and faith formation,\u201d De Gance said. \u201cThe local church used to be the hub for civic life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite declining marriage and birth rates, De Gance remains optimistic that the trend can change.<\/p>\n

He believes Christians who model strong marriages and thriving families can help others rediscover their value \u2014 and that churches are uniquely positioned to lead that renewal.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s going to bring about a significant renewal and revival in the West,\u201d he said. \u201cWe think that the church can accelerate that.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

With America\u2019s birthrate falling and young adults increasingly struggling with loneliness, one Christian organization says the solution to the nation\u2019s family crisis may lie in the local church. Communio, a nonprofit focused on strengthening marriages and relationships, is launching a nationwide \u201cFamily and Civilization\u201d campaign. It is calling on pastors and churches to take a…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":516,"featured_media":11216,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11213","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nNew Campaign Says America\u2019s Family Crisis Won\u2019t Be Solved By Politics \u2014 But By Pastors<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A new campaign urges churches to strengthen marriage and family as falling birthrates and loneliness raise concerns about America\u2019s future.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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