While most pastors report increased church attendance, a recent study finds that the share of attendees who are new converts or previously unchurched has declined sharply over the last decade. Lifeway Research posted a report on Tuesday finding that 54% of more than 1,000 surveyed Protestant pastors said average worship attendance at their churches has increased by at least 4% since 2023.
The average pastor reported a 16% increase since 2023, while 30% said attendance has plateaued and 16% reported a decline in attendance at their churches. Although a slight majority of pastors reported growth since 2023, the share of pastors reporting no new commitments to Christ in their churches increased from 6% in 2016 to 9% in 2025. In 2016, Lifeway data shows the average congregation had 16 commitments per 100 worship attendees. By 2025, that number had dipped to 11 commitments per 100 attendees.
When examining the percentage of churches in which over 10% of newcomers were previously unchurched, the report found the figure declined from 63% in 2016 to 44% last year. “This data does not automatically mean the Gospel is being shared less than it was a decade ago, but it does show fewer people are responding to the Gospel message in the United States,” Lifeway Research Executive Director Scott McConnell said.
“This sad reality should motivate churches to pray for the salvation of those in their communities and to redouble efforts to equip and mobilize their congregations to share the good news of Jesus Christ.” The new report draws from a survey conducted Sept. 2–24, 2025, of 1,003 Protestant pastors, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3% at the 95% confidence level.
The 2025 data was compared with data from a January 2016 survey of 1,000 Protestant pastors conducted by Lifeway Research