Weekly Church Attendance Patterns by Generation: 2016 to 2024

Aug 11, 2025

Matt McCraw, a savvy analyst of church dynamics, dives into the changing landscape of weekly church attendance from 2016 to 2024 across generations. He reveals that while Boomers are holding steady, younger generations like Gen X, Millennials, and especially Gen Z are experiencing notable declines. The discussion delves into the implications for church leadership, highlighting the urgent need for effective outreach strategies and authentic community connections tailored to each generation's unique needs.

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INSIGHT

Generational Attendance Shifts 2016–2024

Boomers rose slightly from 27% to 28% while Gen X and Millennials dropped to 22% between 2016 and 2024.
Gen Z fell most, from 29% to 24%, challenging hopes of a youth revival.

INSIGHT

Attendance Frequency Drives Apparent Decline

Attendance frequency is the primary numerical driver of perceived church decline or growth.
Getting regular attendees to come more often can substantially raise average weekly attendance.

ADVICE

Require Weekly Contact Reports

Do require weekly contact reports from staff listing calls, cards, and texts to track attendance patterns.
Hold staff accountable to those reports and discuss missing people in meetings.

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In this episode, Sam and Matt McCraw unpack weekly church attendance trends from 2016 to 2024 across four generations. While Boomers slightly increased from 27% to 28%, Gen X dropped from 24% to 22%, Millennials from 26% to 22%, and Gen Z saw the sharpest decline—from 29% to 24%. What do these shifts mean for the future of church engagement, discipleship, and ministry strategy? We explore the implications for leadership, generational outreach, and the need for intentional connection points that resonate with each group.

WEEKLY church attendance trends 2016 to 2024:

1. Boomers: 27% to 28%
2. Gen X: 24% to 22%
3. Millennials: 26% to 22%
4. Gen Z: 29% to 24%

Source: Ryan Burge, “Religion in 2024: The Plateau Is Real.” Graphs about Religion. Burge uses the data from The Cooperative Election Study, 2008 to 2024.

Resources:

Upward Running

New Living Translation

Church Connect

Tyndale House Publishers

NLT Large Print Pew Bible

Brown Church Development Group

“Religion in 2024: The Plateau Is Real” by Ryan Burge

Ryan Burge

Church Answers Platinum Membership

FREE Research Report! New Surprising Insights

The Hope Initiative

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