A surprising trend is emerging in American religious life: Younger churchgoers are attending church services more frequently than their parents and grandparents. A new report from the Barna Group, conducted in partnership with the church-tech company Gloo, highlights what it calls a “historic generational reversal” in patterns of churchgoing, particularly among members of Generation Z.
According to Barna’s State of the Church research initiative, churchgoers between the ages of 18 and 28 now average about 23 services a year. That outpaces Generation X, who typically attend 19 Sundays per year, and Baby Boomers and Elders, who attend just under 17. Millennials, born between 1981 and 1996, are not far behind, averaging 22 services annually—an increase from a previous high of 19 in 2012.
Daniel Copeland, Barna’s vice president of research, described the findings as unexpected but encouraging. “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. “This data represents good news for church leaders and adds to the picture that spiritual renewal is shaping Gen Z and Millennials today.”
