Rainer on Leadership The Burge Report: Who’s Really Watching Online Church?
Nearly five years after COVID-19 lockdowns, the research reveals surprising truths about how Americans engage with church online and what that means for pastors and ministry leaders.
While 91% of churches now livestream services, only about 14% of Americans watch weekly. Most online viewers are also in-person attenders, meaning livestreams tend to serve already-committed believers rather than reaching the unchurched. The dream of a large “online-only” congregation just doesn’t match the numbers. In this episode of the Burge Report, Ryan, Thom, and Sam give their key takeaways.
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- Online worship is supplemental, not a substitute. Attendance in person is still twice as common as online viewing.
- Most online participants also attend in person. About 60% of weekly online viewers are regular churchgoers.
- Younger generations aren’t tuning in. Digital natives born in the 2000s are no more likely to watch church online than those born in the 1980s.
- Traditions matter. Black Protestants are the only major group with higher online than in-person attendance, while Catholics overwhelmingly reject online Mass.
- Commitment correlates with presence. Online-only attenders are less devout overall, and livestream participation doesn’t lead to membership growth like in-person worship does.
The bottom line: livestreams are valuable tools, but real discipleship still happens when people gather, serve, and worship together in person.
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