Churches See Attendance Rebound and Volunteering Surge

May 15, 2025

1 minute read

Church attendance in the United States is seeing a notable rebound, with an estimated 32 percent of adults attending in early 2025. This church attendance surge reverses a long-standing decline, as numbers had dropped from 48 percent in 2009 to just 28 percent last year, according to recent research. The upward trend is especially visible in new studies, which also highlight a volunteering surge revitalizing church communities according to the latest State of the Church research from the Barna Group.

“There are several exciting new insights from this month’s report, most notably around attendance,” said David Kinnaman, CEO of State of the Church 2025: Barna Launches Groundbreaking Church Health Series. “While overall attendance has fluctuated, early 2025 data suggest signs of renewal, particularly among younger generations. These insights, coupled with trends we’re seeing on church relevancy, relationships and volunteerism, offer hope for church leaders seeking revitalization and valuable opportunities to foster meaningful engagement in congregations.”

Among other new findings:

Sixty-five percent of adults believe church remains relevant in today’s world.
Weekly church volunteering rose to an estimated 24 percent (vs. 15 percent in 2024), with Gen Z (21 percent) and millennials (19 percent) significantly outpacing boomers (9 percent), Gen X (11 percent) and elders (12 percent).
Today’s churchgoers actively seek connection at church, with at least half engaging with a pastor (57 percent), other attendees (53 percent) or church staff (50 percent) before, during or after service.
Adult Christians overwhelmingly prioritize spiritual encounters at church, with 73 percent saying “connecting to God” is very important to a meaningful church experience, followed by the “presence of the Holy Spirit” (68 percent) and “growing closer to Jesus” (67 percent).

“As church leaders continue to navigate the rapidly evolving intersection of culture and church, it’s essential to understand church engagement trends,” said Brad Hill, chief solutions officer at Gloo. “These latest findings reinforce the critical role that churches play in helping people and communities flourish. We’re seeing some hopeful insights that can help leaders better meet people where they are and provide church as a place for deep connection with God and one another. The findings in this report provide some exciting new opportunities for deepening engagement in enduring ways.”