Millennial non-Christians are more likely than older non-Christians to be interested in spiritual issues, according to new research from Barna. 

In the 'Reviving Evangelism' study, nearly three quarters of non-Christian millennials said they had at least one conversation about their religious beliefs with a close friend or family in the past year, well above older non-Christians who said the same (52 per cent). 

Nearly two thirds (64 per cent) had spoken about their beliefs with a Christian, compared with 44 per cent of older non-Christians.

They were twice as likely to express a personal interest in Christianity (26 per cent against 16 per cent) and had more contact with people who attend church (35 per cent against 19 per cent). 

They were also more likely to have encountered evangelism on the street (30 per cent against 16 per cent).

"They've also had much more personal experience with all kinds of evangelistic methods than older non-Christians, including through tracts (45 per cent vs 26 per cent)," Barna explained. 

The study was based on surveys carried out last year with 992 adults who identified as Christians and 1,001 non-Christians in the US. 

Other findings showed that while many non-Christians are open to speaking with their Christian peers about faith, they're not all satisfied with the conversations they have had. 

Just under two thirds of non-Christian and lapsed Christians (62 per cent) said they wanted to talk with a practicing Christian who "listens without judgment", but only a third (34 per cent) said they had experienced this. 

And while half said they wanted to discuss faith with someone who "does not force a conclusion", only a quarter (26 per cent) said this had happened with the Christians they knew.