Church Attendance on the Rise, Thanks To…

Published: September 8, 2025

Church-roof — Photo by Akira Hojo on Unsplash

By Kayla DeKraker

Church attendance is on the rise, thanks to Millennials and Gen Zers.

Millennials attend church 1.8 weeks per month, while Gen Zers attends 1.9 weeks, a new report from Barna found. This is a slow but steady rise from previous numbers and reveals that younger generations are turning up for church more than their older counterparts.

“The fact that young people are showing up more frequently than before is not a typical trend,” said Daniel Copeland, Barna’s vice president of research. “It’s typically older adults who are the most loyal churchgoers. This data represents good news for church leaders and adds to the picture that spiritual renewal is shaping Gen Z and Millennials today.”

The report from Barna says, “Elder churchgoers came about 2.3 times per month in 2000 and Boomers were consistently attending about half of all weekends” but noted that “Those participation rates have steadily declined over the past 25 years.”

“The significant drop-off among older generations shows that the fabric of congregational life is changing,” explained Barna CEO David Kinnaman. “It’s more frayed and less gray than it was a decade ago. The influx of new generations represents a massive opportunity for congregational leaders, but this renewed interest must be stewarded well.”

He added one vital point, however: just because people attend church regularly does not mean that they are “devoted disciples.”

Belief in Jesus is at a high, too.

A report from Gloo earlier this year found “that belief in Jesus among Americans has reached a decade-high level since 2013.”

“It’s heartening to see that more people are finding and maintaining a personal relationship with Jesus, especially among younger generations. The other trends in this report really speak to the question, ‘How can we, as parents, friends, neighbors and church leaders, show up well for others?’ This research helps us better understand where we might start,” said Gloo’s chief solutions officer Brad Hill.

Matthew 15:8 says, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” More important than church attendance are people’s hearts.

Barna noted young people’s growing interest in Jesus in an April Instagram post.

“At a time when organized religion in America faces scrutiny and skepticism, a new Barna study as part of the State of the Church 2025 initiative shows a groundswell of commitment to Jesus over the last four years. This shift is not only statistically significant — it may be the clearest indication of meaningful spiritual renewal in the United States,” the group said.