A new national study examined how American churchgoers are perceiving and understanding church life 5 years after the COVID-19 pandemic The survey of over 24,000 church attenders from more than 80 different denominations found that overall, most attenders remain consistently engaged or have increased their attendance. Online worship is widely offered-but in person remains dominant. While 26% of surveyed church attenders use online worship regularly, three-quarters still prefer attending in person. Dual format participation is common among families and younger adults.
A sizable 38% of attenders joined their current church after the pandemic began.
These new members include switchers, returners and first-time participants, many of whom bring energy and higher optimism about their church’s future.
Half of attenders volunteer monthly, and over a third have increased their financial giving, with electronic giving being used by more than hald of respondents.
This is just one wave of a collaborative, five-year research project funded by Lilly Endowment Inc. and led by the Hartford Institute for Religion Research at Hartford International University for Religion and Peace. Our previous reports can be found here.
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