More than half of Protestant churches in the United States have reported an increase in worship attendance since 2023, according to new research from Lifeway Research.
The survey of Protestant pastors, sponsored by the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center, found that 54 per cent had seen average attendance rise by at least 4 per cent over the past two years. Meanwhile, 30 per cent reported little or no growth, while 16 per cent said attendance had fallen by 4 per cent or more.
The average Protestant worship service now has 183 people attending, compared with 176 in 2023.
The research also shows considerable differences in church size. About 32 per cent of pastors reported congregations of between 100 and 249 people, while 27 per cent led churches with between 50 and 99 worshippers. A further 22 per cent reported fewer than 50 people attending, while 18 per cent said their services attracted more than 250 people. The overall distribution was similar to the figures recorded in 2023.
Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research, said the results were stronger than expected given the decline experienced by many churches before the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Given the trajectory of many churches before COVID, we expected to see more pastors reporting declines in attendance," McConnell said. "However, we continue to see a majority of pastors saying their attendance is higher than two years ago."
Larger churches were the most likely to report growth. Among churches with more than 250 worshippers, 70 per cent said attendance had increased. This was followed by churches with between 100 and 249 people, where 64 per cent reported growth.
Churches with between 50 and 99 worshippers were more likely to report declining attendance. By contrast, the smallest churches appeared more likely to remain stable, with 43 per cent of congregations with fewer than 50 worshippers reporting little or no change.
The findings also varied between denominations. Pentecostal churches were the most likely to report growth, at 63 per cent, followed by Baptist and non-denominational churches, both at 57 per cent.
Lutheran churches were the most likely to report little or no change, with 37 per cent describing their attendance as having plateaued. Methodist churches recorded the highest proportion reporting decline, at 26 per cent.
The findings come alongside separate research released last month by the American Bible Society, which found that people who attend church generally viewed their experience positively, giving it an average rating of 8 out of 10.
However, that research also found that most people who identify as Christians attend church less than once a month, highlighting a continuing gap between positive views of church and regular participation.
Based on reporting from Christian Today UK.
