While global church membership quietly expands to encompass a third of humanity, the ground beneath the steeple is shifting dramatically, as seen in a stark US attendance drop to 35%, the silent surge of online-only worship, and the quiet rise of the non-denominational movement.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, weekly church attendance among US Christians averaged 35%, down from 42% in 2000
- US Protestant churches reported an average weekly attendance of 137 adults in 2022
- 65% of US churchgoers attended in-person services weekly in 2023, while 28% attended online only
- US churches collected $147 billion in tithes and offerings in 2022
- Average US church giving per attendee is $1,200 annually in 2023
- 70% of US church budgets go to personnel costs in 2022
- US population is 65% Christian, down from 78% in 2007
- White Christians are 44% of US adults in 2023
- Evangelicals comprise 25% of US population in 2022
- There are 1.3 million full-time US clergy in 2023
- Average US pastor age is 56 in 2023, up from 50 in 2000
- 50% of pastors considered quitting full-time ministry in 2022
- Christian growth projected at 32% by 2050 to 3 billion
- US Christian share to drop to 35% by 2070
- Nondenominational churches to be 20% of US by 2030
Church attendance is declining in the United States even as global Christianity grows.
Attendance and Membership
- In 2023, weekly church attendance among US Christians averaged 35%, down from 42% in 2000
- US Protestant churches reported an average weekly attendance of 137 adults in 2022
- 65% of US churchgoers attended in-person services weekly in 2023, while 28% attended online only
- Global Christian church membership reached 2.56 billion in 2023, representing 31.7% of world population
- US megachurches (2,000+ attendees) number 1,800 as of 2022, up 5% from 2010
- Southern Baptist Convention churches averaged 53 in worship attendance in 2022
- 47% of US millennials attended church monthly or more in 2023, compared to 56% of boomers
- Catholic Mass attendance in US dropped to 17% weekly in 2022 from 25% pre-COVID
- Evangelical churches saw 12% attendance decline from 2019-2023
- US churches with under 100 attendees comprise 70% of total congregations in 2023
- Pentecostal churches grew attendance by 1.4% annually from 2010-2020 globally
- 22% of US adults attended religious services weekly in 2023
- Mainline Protestant attendance fell 25% from 2000-2020
- US church plants average 60 attendees in first year
- Hispanic church attendance rates are 45% weekly among US Latinos in 2023
- Black Protestant churches average 150 weekly attendees in 2022
- 40% of US Gen Z Christians attend youth group weekly
- Australian church attendance is 15% weekly in 2023
- UK weekly church attendance is 4% of population in 2022
- Brazilian evangelical churches average 200 attendees, with 30% growth since 2010
- US nondenominational churches average 250 weekly attendance in 2023
- 55% of US churches reported attendance growth in 2023 post-COVID
- Global house churches number over 5 million with 300 million attendees
- US rural churches average 45 attendees, declining 2% yearly
- Urban US churches average 200 attendees, up 10% since 2015
- 30% of US Christians switched churches post-COVID
- Canadian church attendance is 19% weekly in 2023
- South Korean megachurches average 20,000 attendees weekly
- US vacation Bible school attendance totals 15 million children annually
- 25% of US churches offer multiple services to boost attendance
Attendance and Membership Interpretation
Even as American pews thin to the size of a small town diner’s Sunday brunch crowd, the global church, from Brazilian storefronts to South Korean stadiums, is stubbornly proving that the body of Christ is simultaneously on a diet and at an all-you-can-eat buffet.
Demographics and Diversity
- US population is 65% Christian, down from 78% in 2007
- White Christians are 44% of US adults in 2023
- Evangelicals comprise 25% of US population in 2022
- US Catholics are 20% of adults, with 52% Hispanic
- Black Protestants are 7% of US population, highly religious
- Millennials are 34% of US Christians, Gen Z 20%
- Women are 54% of regular US church attenders
- Global South Christians number 1.75 billion, 69% of total
- US Christians median age is 54 vs. 46 national average
- 15% of US Christians are immigrants
- Nondenominational Christians are 13% of US adults, fastest growing
- Southern US has 70% Christian population density
- 45% of US Hispanics identify as Christian, 25% evangelical
- Mainline Protestants declined to 14% of US population
- Pentecostals are 4% US, 25% global Christians
- Rural US Christians are 80% of rural adults
- 60% of US Christians are married, higher than non-religious
- Asian American Christians are 42% of Asian adults
- Baby boomers are 40% of US church leaders/members
- 28% of US Christians have college degrees
- Global Christianity growth rate is 1.08% annually 2020-2025
- US Northeast has lowest Christian share at 50%
- 55% of US Christian women vs. 45% men attend regularly
- Orthodox Christians are 0.5% US population, stable
- 35% of US Gen Z identify as Christian, down from 60% boomers
- Sub-Saharan Africa has 670 million Christians, 30% global total
- US low-income Christians (<$30k) are 25% of adherents
- Latin America Christians 95% of population, shifting evangelical
- UK Christians 46% of population, down 13% since 2001
- 70% of US Christian parents raise kids in faith actively
- US senior adults (65+) are 80% Christian
Demographics and Diversity Interpretation
The American church is no longer the world's young, white, married majority but is instead a graying, diverse, and increasingly Southern and immigrant tapestry, holding fast in its pews while nervously watching its future walk out the door.
Financial Contributions
- US churches collected $147 billion in tithes and offerings in 2022
- Average US church giving per attendee is $1,200 annually in 2023
- 70% of US church budgets go to personnel costs in 2022
- Online giving rose to 30% of total church donations post-COVID
- Southern Baptist churches gave $10 billion in 2022
- US Christians donate 2.5% of income to churches on average
- Megachurches average $5 million annual budget in 2023
- 45% of US givers donate via mobile apps in 2023
- Catholic parishes collected $11 billion in US offertory in 2022
- Church building funds average $500,000 per capital campaign
- 60% of churches saw giving decline during 2020-2021
- Global Christian giving totals $500 billion annually
- US evangelicals give 4% of income vs. 1.5% mainline
- Recurring donations make up 65% of church online giving
- Churches spend 15% of budget on missions/outreach
- Average small church (<100 attendees) budget is $150,000 yearly
- 25% of US churchgoers tithe (10% of income)
- Facility costs consume 30% of church budgets
- US churches received $50 billion in COVID relief aid 2020-2022
- Generosity among US Christians averages $884 per household yearly
- 80% of churches use digital platforms for 50%+ of giving
- African American churches give 50% more per capita than average
- Churches invest $20 billion in endowments annually
- Post-COVID giving rebounded 8% in 2023
- 35% of budgets allocated to programs/ministries
- Hispanic churches average $300k budgets with high growth
- UK church giving totals £1.5 billion yearly
- Brazilian churches collect R$50 billion annually
- US church debt averages $1.2 million per congregation
- 55% of donors prefer text-to-give options
- Missions giving is $15 billion globally from US churches
- 40% of US adults under 40% income to charity/church
- US Christians are 36% of population but 77% of charitable giving
- Average pastor salary is $95,000 in US megachurches 2023
Financial Contributions Interpretation
The faithful are still funding the mission—to the tune of billions—though their giving increasingly arrives via smartphone and, in true American fashion, comes with a healthy side of payroll, property, and, for some, impressive endowment growth.
Leadership and Clergy
- There are 1.3 million full-time US clergy in 2023
- Average US pastor age is 56 in 2023, up from 50 in 2000
- 50% of pastors considered quitting full-time ministry in 2022
- Women pastors lead 10% of US Protestant churches
- US seminaries graduated 7,000 MDiv students in 2022
- 80% of pastors report high burnout rates post-COVID
- Bi-vocational pastors are 40% of US small church leaders
- Global missionary personnel totals 430,000 sent from US
- Senior pastors tenure averages 7 years per church
- 25% of US pastors are under 40 years old
- Catholic priests in US number 34,000 active in 2023
- Youth pastors average salary $45,000 annually
- 65% of pastors preach 25+ hours sermon prep weekly
- Ethnic minority pastors lead 20% of US churches
- US churches have 500,000 volunteer leaders
- Pastor mental health issues affect 42%
- Denominational clergy declining 2% yearly
- Worship leaders average 35 years old
- 30% of pastors trained online post-2020
- Global church elders number 10 million
- US megachurch pastors earn $150k+ median
- 55% of churches have multiple staff under 5
- Female associate pastors 15% of roles
- Pastor turnover rate 15% annually in small churches
- Missionary training programs serve 50,000 yearly
- 70% of pastors feel called but underprepared for admin
- US deacons/elders total 2 million volunteers
- Average worship pastor salary $65,000
- 20% of pastors bivocational due to finances
- Clergy retirement age averages 65, with pension coverage 60%
Leadership and Clergy Interpretation
The American pulpit is simultaneously graying and burning out, propped up by a shrinking and weary core of lifelong clergy whose ranks are thinning as fast as the pool of younger, diversifying, and often financially strained leaders grows, revealing an industry in a profound—and underprepared—transition.
Trends and Projections
- Christian growth projected at 32% by 2050 to 3 billion
- US Christian share to drop to 35% by 2070
- Nondenominational churches to be 20% of US by 2030
- Digital church engagement to reach 50% by 2025
- Africa Christian population to double to 1.1 billion by 2050
- US church closures at 7,000 per decade
- Multi-site churches to grow 50% by 2030
- AI in sermon prep used by 20% pastors by 2025 projection
- Hispanic churches to lead US growth at 3% annually
- Secularization rate 1% annual loss in Europe
- Online tithing to be 50% of giving by 2030
- Gen Z retention in church at 30% projected
- Global megachurches to number 5,000 by 2040
- US rural church decline 20% by 2030
- VR church services adopted by 10% megachurches by 2025
- Pentecostal growth to 600 million by 2050
- Church planting rate 1,000 new US churches yearly
- Climate change impacts missions budget 15% rise
- Hybrid worship models permanent in 70% churches
- Asia Christian growth 2.5% annually to 2050
- US mainline decline to 10% by 2040
- Micro-churches (<50) to rise 40%
- Mental health ministries in 50% churches by 2030
- Global South to 80% of Christians by 2050
Trends and Projections Interpretation
Despite surging globally, American Christianity seems to be reorganizing into a more digital, diverse, and decentralized collection of communities while its traditional structures slowly erode.
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