Younger Generations Now Outpacing Parents in Church Attendance, Study Finds

Gen Z is driving a revival of faith in America. Photo: Catholic University of America

OCT. 29, 2025 — In a historic reversal of decades-long trends, younger Americans are now more likely to attend church than their parents, according to new data from the Barna Group. The research, part of Barna’s ongoing “State of the Church” project with Gloo, shows that Millennials and Gen Z have overtaken Boomers and Elders as the most frequent churchgoers — signaling renewed spiritual interest among younger adults.

“The fact that young people are showing up more frequently than before is not a typical trend,” said Daniel Copeland, Barna’s vice president of research. “It’s typically older adults who are the most loyal churchgoers. This data represents good news for church leaders and adds to the picture that spiritual renewal is shaping Gen Z and Millennials today.”

Barna found that Gen Z Christians now attend services an average of 1.9 weekends per month, and Millennials 1.8 — the highest rates recorded since the group began tracking generational participation. In contrast, Boomers now attend 1.4 times per month, down sharply from twice a month in 2000.

Barna CEO David Kinnaman said the shift reflects a changing church landscape. “The significant drop-off among older generations shows that the fabric of congregational life is changing. It’s more frayed and less gray than it was a decade ago,” he noted. “The influx of new generations represents a massive opportunity for congregational leaders, but this renewed interest must be stewarded well.”

He added a note of caution:

“Our research clearly shows that churchgoing alone does not in itself create devoted disciples. Even with the increasing participation of younger generations, there is still the challenge of shaping hearts and minds to live out their faith beyond church participation.”

Barna’s long-term study, based on 132,000 interviews over 25 years, suggests that this rise in youthful faith could redefine American Christianity’s future — part of a wider trend seen internationally, as polls in Northern Ireland and elsewhere also point to a quiet spiritual renewal among Gen Z.

Previously, UOJ reported on an episode of the Orthodox Engagement Podcast in which host Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick spoke with Matthew Namee and Dcn. Seraphim Rohlin of the Orthodox Studies Institute (OSI) about the latest data on the ongoing convert surge in America.

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