Although a large majority of Americans still identify with a Christian faith, fewer adults are describing themselves as Christians today than seven years ago, according to a new report from the Pew Research Center.

Comparing the results of Religious Landscape studies it conducted in 2007 and 2014, the Pew Research Center found that the percentage of people who consider themselves Christians has dropped from 78.4 to 70.6. At the same time, it found that the percentage of people who don’t affiliate with a religion increased from 16.1 to 22.8.

The Pew Research Center’s first report on the 2014 U.S. Religious Landscape Study, which included a survey of more than 35,000 adults, says the changes are affecting every region of the country and multiple demographic groups.

“While the drop in Christian affiliation is particularly pronounced among young adults, it is occurring among Americans of all ages. The same trends are seen among whites, blacks and Latinos; among both college graduates and adults with only a high school education; and among women as well as men,” according to the report.

Jennifer Seaich, chairwoman of the Portneuf Valley Interfaith Fellowship and a United Church of Christ minister, wasn’t that concerned about the news.

She feels there’s a difference between religion and spirituality. People may be religious and active in their church without being deeply spiritual, and they may be spiritual and connect with God even if they don’t identify with a particular faith, she said. Still, it’s hard to have one without the other, and she thinks there needs to be a significant overlap between the two.

Seaich feels the Pew Research Center’s numbers may reflect the changes occurring in the world. People want less dogma and more connection today, she said.

“I think there’s a lot of opportunity for spiritual growth and development in that,” she said. “It’ll be a challenge for churches to adapt and change, but (a) church is made of people. It’s supposed to be a living dynamic.”

Jonathan Dinger, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Pocatello, wasn’t surprised by the Pew Research Center’s report either.

“None of it is shocking to those of us who have been paying attention,” he said.

He believes fewer people are seeking truth in which to ground their lives today, and more are looking for those things that most appeal to them.

“The idea that there is such a thing as objective truth is considered passé now,” he said. “People equate religion (with) opinion or how they feel about it.”

He disagrees with that notion, but at the same time, he recognizes why some churches that haven’t been particularly welcoming or concerned about their communities in the past may not be that appealing to people now.

At Grace Lutheran, they’ve tried to adapt to the times by offering school and childcare programs to meet member and community needs. Dinger said they also strive to teach and preach in a relevant way that makes sense to people, and they sometimes take different approaches when it comes to sharing their message.

Still, they haven’t changed their message.

“I will do almost anything to share Jesus with people, but I will do it in a way that’s faithful to God’s word,” Dinger said.

That approach seems to be working at Grace Lutheran, where the average age of congregants is 35, he said.

Although the Pew Research Center found that affiliation has declined when it comes to many Protestant and Catholic religions, other Christian churches have been able to hold their ground. Neither the Orthodox Christian, Jehovah’s Witness or Mormon faiths saw any significant changes over the past seven years, according to the report.

The number of Mormons — a name for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — in Idaho has increased by about 100,000 in the past 14 years, said Kristen Howey, church spokesperson.

“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a proselyting faith whose mission is to share the gospel of Jesus Christ,” Howey said. She added that its strength doesn’t come from its numbers, “but rather the joy and fulfillment found by each member as they strive to live the teachings of Jesus Christ.”

While some Christian faiths appear to be declining and others are maintaining, non-Christian faiths have seen an increase of 1.2 percent, going from 4.7 to 5.9 percent over the last seven years, according to the Pew Research Center report. The largest increases were among the Muslim and Hindu faiths.

There are several factors for the changes in Americans’ religious identification, according to the report.

“One of the most important factors in the declining share of Christians and the growth of the ‘nones’ in generational replacement. As the Millennial generation enters adulthood, its members display much lower levels of religious affiliation, including less connection with Christian churches, than older generations,” according to the report.

Still, members of older generations are also disaffiliating with organized religion, and others are switching religions — a common occurrence in the U.S., according to the report.

Seaich actually grew up in and even worked for the Catholic Church, but she eventually decided that the United Church of Christ was a better fit for her.

“It’s a denomination committed to social justice, to caring for the poor and needy, and reaching out to the stranger. That’s important to me since it was important to Jesus,” she said. “The UCC welcomes everyone, and I think that radical hospitality is what Christ asked of us. It’s a church that empowers lay people. I plan to be ordained, but the UCC really emphasize the ministry of all people.”

She understands why others may be switching religions as well.

“Many people hunger for deep spiritual connection. We are all on different journeys, and God welcomes us, wherever we are on our journeys,” Seaich said. “I think looking for a more authentic fit is a positive thing.”