Research and Trends

More than 1 in 10 churchgoers say someone in their congregation has provided foster care (16%), adopted a child from the U.S. (13%) or adopted a child from another country (11%) within the last year.

Related studies conducted by the Cultural Research Center during the pandemic suggest that the Millennials’ rejection of biblical Christianity did not serve them well. Three-quarters reported lacking purpose and meaning in life.

The actions and beliefs of evangelical Protestants do not always align. Six out of 10 (59%) evangelicals who strongly believe reading the Bible contributes to positive mental health still do not read it daily, while 26% do not read it even monthly.

The biggest statistical change noted between 2020 and 2023 among U.S. adults overall was a staggering 20-percentage point decline in those who believe they have a unique, God-given calling or purpose for their life.

The majority of Hispanic congregations are actively engaged in their community for the purpose of sharing the gospel. This includes serving the practical needs of people, conducting special events to meet people and proclaim the gospel, and church members personally sharing the gospel in conversations.

While almost a third of this younger generation does not claim a particular religion (the “nones”), they attend religious services at a slightly higher rate than their Millennial and Gen X parents.

As the church navigates a post-pandemic world and ongoing economic pressures, budget constraints remain the biggest challenge to prioritizing new technology purchases, with the majority of churches (58%) allocating 10 percent or less of their annual budget to technology spend. Other top barriers include staffing, implementation, ease of use, and support.

On average, Protestant churches say 44% of their current weekend worship attendees are involved in a small group, Sunday School or similar group, indicating a decline in average small group attendance since 2010 (49%).