A study by Lifeway Research found that 52% of surveyed Protestant congregations saw their worship attendance grow by at least 4% over the past two years.
By contrast, 33% of the surveyed congregations said attendance had plateaued with between 4% decline to 4% growth, while 15% reported experiencing over 4% decline in worship attendance.
The report also found that more growth was reported among Evangelical pastors than Mainline Protestant pastors.
The report is encouraging since most churches saw drastic reductions in attendance during and immediately following the lockdowns.
Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research said, “Most pastors wish they had returned earlier, but their attendance is a source of optimism, though future growth will need to come from brand new contacts.”
Since pandemic restrictions have been lifted, there have been mixed results in the efforts of congregations across denominational affiliations to recoup their attendance losses.
In August 2023, the Hartford Institute for Religion Research at Hartford International University released a study that found over half of the churches surveyed reported declining attendance.