In the early 1800s, the French political thinker and historian Alexis de Tocqueville visited the fledgling new republic calling itself the “United States of America.”
One of the French diplomat’s observations, which he wrote about in his book, Democracy in America, keyed in on the oversized role that churches and faith communities had in the growing nation.
“Americans of all ages, all conditions, and all dispositions constantly form associations,” he wrote. “They have not only commercial and manufacturing companies, in which all take part, but associations of a thousand other kinds – religious, moral, serious, futile, general or restricted, enormous or diminutive.”
Alexis de Tocqueville warned that if these institutions would weaken, or cease to exist, then American society would disintegrate into a morass of individualism and moral confusion.
Sadly, de Tocqueville’s observation was prophetic as we look out on the American landscape in 2026. For the past several years, dire poll after dire poll has been telling us about how young people are abandoning religious faith because it is perceived as “intolerant” and no longer relevant to their lives.
While it’s accurate that young adults are less likely to claim and practice the Christian faith than their older counterparts, the good news is that the decline in Christianity has leveled off in recent years. In fact, a recent Gallup poll found that 40% of men between the ages of 18 and 29 attend church at least once a month – a 7% increase from 2023.
Gallup’s Frank Newport, who authored the report, noted the change was statistically significant, “We’re sensing, based on the data, a change in the religious environment in this country.” My own anecdotal research here in Washington, D.C., confirms the findings.
When I talk with friends of mine who spend time with young adults, particularly those who are either Gen Z or late millennials, they regularly relay to me that these young men and women are desperately seeking authenticity and meaning. Digitally isolated and living in a culture awash with cynicism, they want more than just the pursuit of self-gratification.
Rather than living in a “swipe right” virtual community that promotes false perceptions, they want genuine and honest relationships. Rather than falling for the cultural fad for the moment, they want to invest in something that lasts longer than the latest TikTok craze.
The bottom line: they are seeking what I propose in my new book, What Really Matters: Restoring a Legacy of Faith, Freedom, and Family. The book consists of columns I have written and now compiled into a new volume with the help of my good friend, Craig Osten. The project attempts to provide a blueprint for how we can not only return to those values but bring about a great and glorious American restoration.
The embrace of three fundamental and foundational values – faith, freedom, and family – are the key to this revival. They promise to mold men into strong and compassionate leaders and provide protection and provision for women and children. They also promise to add or amplify the much-needed dimension of significance that’s missing from young people’s lives.
While general faith trends may still be cause for alarm, the leveling off of the troubling decline, coupled with a rise in young people’s attendance at church, is nevertheless encouraging. It’s a reminder that we must continue to invest in our young people. We cannot sit around and be passive bystanders. We need to be actively involved in encouraging and nurturing their newfound interest in faith.
Devotion to God cannot be just another passing fad but instead a magnificent obsession from which flows commitment to family, their professional and personal associations, and their wider place in America and the world.
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