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?
