Moms are more spiritual than dads

Barna’s new study underscores what we all intuitively know: moms are more spiritual than dads. Here are a few excerpts from the report:

Men may enjoy advantages in physical strength, but they are much less likely than women to exercise their spiritual muscles. This gender gap extends to the typical family unit: mothers outpace fathers in terms of spiritual activity and commitment. In fact, the Barna survey examined 12 different elements of faith behavior and perspective. Mothers were distinct from fathers on 11 of the 12 factors.

When it comes to spiritual perspectives, a majority of mothers said they have been greatly transformed by their faith, while less than half of fathers had shared this experience. Also, three-quarters of moms said their faith is very important in their life, while this view was true among just two-thirds of fathers. Mothers were also more likely than fathers to be born again Christians, to say they are absolutely committed to Christianity, and to embrace a personal responsibility to share their faith in Jesus Christ with others.

Moms are also more religiously active. In a typical week, mothers are more likely than are fathers to attend church, pray, read the Bible, participate in a small group, attend Sunday school, and volunteer some of their time to help a non-profit organization. The only faith-related activity in which fathers are just as likely as mothers to engage is volunteering to help at a church.

David Kinnaman, President of The Barna Group and the director of the study, clarified the role of gender in shaping a person’s spiritual profile. “Whether they are a parent or not, women in America have high levels of spiritual sensitivity and engagement. Men generally lag behind the spirituality of women.”

Stunningly, among the young women in the Mosaic generation who are parents (that is, the moms who are currently ages 18 to 22), four out of five are not married (79%).

Buster moms exhibit less passion for spirituality and less commitment to Christianity compared to Boomer moms. For instance, young moms are less likely to volunteer to help at a church, to read the Bible or to attend worship services at a church.

Moms of every generation deserve an enormous amount of credit for empowering the spiritual pursuits of their family and, in turn, energizing faith in America.

Compared to men, women are more likely to communicate about faith, prioritize activities that develop their faith and that of their children, and they are more vulnerable about their needs and emotions.

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OK, good study by Barna – thanks for helping us see reality, George. So my conclusions are: Moms – way to go! God made you good; so trust your instincts. We love you moms like we love nothing else in life. When soldiers lay dying on the battlefield, the last thing they cry for is their mom. We love you down to our core.

And Dads, we have a ways to go still. Let’s suck it up and start leading in the arenas where it really counts. It takes just 6% of the average man’s income to provide for his family’s actual survival needs. Everything after that is a choice. Nice house, nice car, etc. – it all burns up in the big fire. Bottom line: Let’s start living intentionally, investing in not just providing for our family, but loving them well.