Barna on Trends of Men and Women

New Research on Church Attendance: Decline of Women or the Rise of Men?

For decades, women have outnumbered men in church pews and have often led the way in spiritual participation. But the current data, released as part of Barna’s ongoing State of the Church initiative with Gloo, shows that women—across all generations—are now attending church less often than men. This surprising shift marks more than a numerical change; it signals a cultural and spiritual turning point within America.

AT A GLANCE:

  • Major Gender Shift: Men are significantly outpacing women in church attendance since the pandemic, reversing a long-standing trend in Barna’s decades of tracking. The 2025 gender gap is the largest recorded so far (43% for men vs. 36% among women).
  • Married Dads Show Up; Moms Step Back: Among parents of kids under 18, married dads have the highest show-up rate at church compared to all other parents. Only 1 in 4 single moms (24%) attend church weekly—significantly trailing other married moms and dads.
  • Why It Matters: These shifts reveal new patterns of participation and disengagement among key groups that may reshape the fabric of church life in the years to come.
  • Leadership Consideration: How will churches adapt to support the growing faith engagement of young men—and the growing disengagement of women, particularly single mothers? How can leaders assess what people are experiencing inside the church that shapes whether they return?

[ READ THE FULL REPORT HERE ]

MFUGE Impact

On July 6, in Patrick’s absence, Scott teaches about how the impact of MFuge is relevant to all believers.

Our students are leaving in the morning to make a difference in Philadelphia, PA, so let’s take this opportunity to see how that impact can happen right here, among our community of faith in Virginia Beach.

Domesticated Jesus

ON MARCH 16: Domesticated Jesus, with Scott Chafee (the opening clip was a scene from the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe).

Is Jesus really the Lion of Judah? Or do we prefer a tame Lion, perhaps de-clawed without fangs. It seems that in the western church we have domesticated this young Jewish rabbi who turned the world upside down with his teaching. Many in the church seem to invite Jesus into their already busy lives so that Jesus can follow US, rather than we following HIM. On Sunday, let’s look at the ways we tend to TAME Jesus into something we like better than the Jesus who calls us to radical obedience and discipleship.

Discipleship as a Way of Life

On March 24, Scott Chafee brought a message that followed up the lesson from March 10, on Discipleship as a Lifestyle. This message looked at three biblical examples on how the rhythms of life were used to reach people trapped in doubt, darkness, and deception.

Luke 18:31-34 (Jesus predicts his death, as the Suffering Servant)
DOUBT – the disciples did not understand
The Rhythm of Story – Luke 18:31-33
The Rhythm of Listen – Luke 18:34

Luke 18:35-43 (blind Bartimaeus, receives his sight)
DARKNESS – the man could literally not see
The Rhythm of Listen – Luke 18:40-41
The Rhythm of Celebration – Luke 18:43

Luke 19:1-10 (public sinner Zaccheus is transformed)
DECEPTION – the enemy had deceived him and his behavior followed
The Rhythm of Eat – Luke 19:5-6
The Rhythm of Bless – Luke 19:8

We Are Transformed People

I presented this devotion at the quarterly business meeting at King’s Grant Baptist Church in August 2022.

I’d like to look at Ephesians 4:17-20.

So I say this, and affirm in the Lord, that you are to no longer walk just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their minds, 18 being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; 19 and they, having become callous, have given themselves up to indecent behavior for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. 20 But you did not learn Christ in this way,

We recognize that we are transformed people, having been changed from what we used to be. Paul gives us some admonishment by saying… you did not learn Christ in this way.

Words of kindness, words of hope, words of encouragement, words of support, words of challenge, words that are going to build up the body of Christ; those are the things that the body of Christ is supposed to embrace.

So, Paul is basically saying, let us behave as those who have Jesus Christ living inside of us.

Imagine the church being fully devoted to what Jesus Christ wants to do through us, his church. How did we learn of Christ? We learned of Christ by faith, and when we came to him in faith, we learn to become obedient. We learned how to be an example of Jesus Christ. Being an example does not point to us at all, but it points to Jesus who is abiding in us, taken up residence inside of us.

Let Jesus shine.