By Mallory Mattingly
“Do young adults still believe in marriage?” The Barna Group just asked that question and found some interesting results.
The group found that “78 percent of Gen Z and 73 percent of Millennials say they want to marry someday.”
However, the average age at which people marry is up eight years compared to the 1950s. Today, the average age for men to marry is about 30, while for women, it’s about 28.
Increased levels of “anxiety, uncertainty and emotional complexity” likely contribute to getting married later, as these factors impact how young adults make long-term decisions. Rising cost of living, education and daily expenses also make “the timing of marriage feel consequential in a way it may not have for earlier generations,” Barna suggested.
While many young adults “believe in the value of marriage” — 81% of Gen Zers and 85% of Millennials — it is “no longer seen as the defining framework for family life in the way it once was.”
Related: 61% of Teens Desire Abstinence Before Marriage
When asked if they “believe marriage is important for raising children in a stable environment,” 67% of Gen Z and 72% of Millennials agreed. However, 74% of Gen Zers and 68% of Millennials “believe you can have a fulfilling life without children.”
While it’s encouraging to see that young people still desire marriage, having Godly examples of the fulfillment found in a spouse and children could be powerful catalysts for increasing interest.
For example, DUCK DYNASTY’s Sadie Robertson Huff and her husband, Christian, who share three girls, value the importance of family and raising their daughters in a healthy marriage.
In 2020, Sadie talked about how her and Christian’s faith in God will help them as new parents.
“[Christian] is pumped. He’s so giddy. He’s so excited to be a dad. He’s practicing [diapers]. I’m so excited to see what type of parents Christian and I become,” she told Fox News. “The Bible talks a lot about childlike faith. And it encourages you to have faith like a child. And my mom always said that when I was little, I would just ask all these questions. I would deepen her faith a lot because kids ask light, innocent questions before the child grows up and knows what the world is like. And so I can’t wait to look at our daughter and see the wonder in her eyes and just learn from her.”
Great American Family stars Alexa and Carlos PenaVega are another great example of what a healthy marriage looks. They share two sons and a daughter.
“God has already given us all the tools to be able to handle any relationship and He’s given us a great foundation and how to deal with conflict and how to deal with frustrations. It literally goes down to the basics of the fruits of the Spirit,” Alexa told Movieguide® of their marriage.
Despite facing economic hurdles and emotional anxieties that have delayed the traditional timeline, the majority of Gen Z and Millennials continue to value and desire marriage. Looking to faith-filled and positive role models can help them navigate the hardships of modern family life.
Read Next: Alexa PenaVega: ‘Marriage Is This Beautiful, Holy Thing’
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