Protestant Pastors Report Rising Attendance
But fewer unchurched people coming to church
More than half of Protestant pastors in the United States say their average attendance has increased during the past three years, according to Lifeway Research study sponsored by the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center.
Another 30 percent say their congregation has plateaued, staying within plus or minus 4 percent in the past two years. Sixteen percent report an attendance decline of at least 4 percent. The average pastor reported 16 percent growth since 2023
More specifically, the average Protestant pastor said their church had 176 attendees on a typical weekend in the fall of 2023. By the fall of 2025, their average attendance was 183. The median attendance number increased from 90 to 100 in the past two years.
Church size
Currently, 22 percent of churches have fewer than 50 in attendance on a typical weekend, 27 percent report between 50 and 99, 32 percent say they have 100 to 249 and 18 percent average 250 or more. In 2023, 22 percent of pastors said they led congregations of fewer than 50, one-third saw between 50 and 99, 30 percent had 100 to 249 in attendance and 16 percent regularly preached to 250 or more.
“Given the trajectory of many churches before COVID, we expected to see more pastors reporting declines in attendance,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “However, we continue to see a majority of pastors saying their attendance is higher than two years ago.”
Often, the larger churches are growing larger. Congregations of 250 or more (70 percent) and those between 100 and 249 (64 percent) are the most likely to be growing. The smallest churches, those with fewer than 50 in attendance, are the most likely to be plateaued (43 percent). Additionally, those smallest congregations (25 percent) and those averaging 50 to 99 attendees (22 percent) are the most likely to be in decline.
Specific denominations also are more likely to include growing congregations. Pentecostal (63 percent), Baptist (57 percent) and nondenominational pastors (57 percent) are among the most likely to report having grown by 4 percent or more. Lutherans (37 percent) are among the most likely to have plateaued, while Methodists (26 percent) are among the most likely to have declined by 4 percent or more.
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However, the share of new attendees who are completely new to church has decreased over the past decade. In 2016, the average pastor said 27 percent of their new attendees did not go to church before, compared to 20 percent today. Currently, new churchgoers are less likely than in 2016 to include more than 10 percent of people who previously did not attend church (44 percent v. 63 percent).
“This data does not automatically mean the gospel is being shared less than it was a decade ago, but it does show fewer people are responding to the gospel message in the United States,” McConnell said. “This sad reality should motivate churches to pray for the salvation of those in their communities and to redouble efforts to equip and mobilize their congregations to share the good news of Jesus Christ.”
–Alan Goforth
