Men Lead Church Attendance Surge in 2025 Study
More men than women now attend church, reversing a long trend in religious engagement. According to the latest Barna research, women had outpaced men in attendance since 2000, then at 47 percent to 38 percent, before men began outpacing women in 2022, at 35 percent to 30 percent. In 2024, 30 percent of men were attending weekly, compared to 27 percent of women, Barna’s 2025 State of the Church study found. “As a leader, consider how your church is reaching and connecting with women, who have traditionally been more engaged but now waver,” researchers said.
Recent studies show that 2024 closed with 28 percent of U.S. adults attending church weekly. However, early 2025 shows signs of promise, with as many as 32 percent of adults attending church weekly. The gender reversal in attendance is among five top trends announced in the report. Other trends include:
• Weekly church volunteering, at 24 percent of U.S. adults, surpassed pre-COVID levels of 18 percent, with Gen Z and millennials leading the efforts.
• Sixty-five percent of U.S. adults, including Christians and non-Christians, believe the church is still relevant in today’s world.
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Attendance facts
• Most adult churchgoers actively seek relational connections at church, engaging in conversation before or after church with a pastor (57 percent), other attendees (53 percent) or church staff (50 percent).
• Spiritual encounters make church meaningful, Christians said. Top spiritual encounters cited were “connecting to God,” chosen by 73 percent of respondents; the “presence of the Holy Spirit,” chosen by 68 percent; “growing closer to Jesus,” 67 percent; “praying together,” 59 percent; “emotional comfort,” 58 percent; and “the sermon” and “worshiping together,” each drawing 56 percent of respondents. “Serving,” 47 percent; discipleship, 41 percent; and “giving or tithing,” 39 percent, ranking lowest among factors that make church meaningful.
Recent data shows that although both Christians and non-believers said church is relevant today, church is relevant for more practicing Christians, 88 percent, and non-practicing Christians, 67 percent, than non-Christians, 46 percent. The average among all U.S. adults is 65 percent.
Traditional church practices continue to evolve, with researchers pointing to relational connections, a sense of purpose, growth opportunities and transcendent experiences relating to peace, inspiration and God.
–Alan Goforth
