The research, conducted on behalf of Christians in Sport and the Bible Society, also found only a third of Christians believe sport is a productive way of building relationships in their community (36%), while a similar number see it as a gift from God (34%).
One in 10 Christians think sport is "an idol that many people worship in society today" and more than half said it's okay to play sport on a Sunday, so long as they're engaged in their churches at other times during the week.
But only one in five churches encourage their congregation to play sport, according to the survey.
Elizabeth Hunt, from Christians in Sport, said: "The survey suggests a shift in the traditional thinking of Christians about playing sport on a Sunday.
"Over half of Christians say it is fine to play sport then, as long as they find other times to engage in church activity.
"With many churches now offering alternative services to those of the traditional morning service, Christians are now finding workable solutions to both being committed to their sports club whilst continuing to be a part of their local church."
The figures may be influenced by the fact Christians on average older than the rest of the country. The national average age is 39.9 while the average age of a Church of England member is 61.
Hear more from Elizabeth Hunt, speaking with Premier's Aaron James:
