Every year, we kick off the season with one of our favorite traditions: the stats episode.

We go through dozens of recent church statistics, pick the ones that made our jaws drop, and share our top six on the podcast. These stats help church leaders understand the cultural shifts happening right now and how to respond with purpose and strategy.

Some are encouraging. Some are convicting. All of them will make you think twice about how we do ministry in 2026.

Let’s get into it.

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Table of contents

• Gen Z Churchgoers Are Showing Up More Than Any Other Generation
• Only 20% of Americans Attend Church Weekly
• The Gender Gap in Faith Is Shrinking (But Not the Way You Think)
• Young Adults Still Want Faith That Matters
• The Tithing Gap Between What We Say and What We Actually Give
• Millennials Are the Most Faithful Weekly Attenders
• What Surprised You?
• More Resources on Church Stats

Thomas kicked us off with a stat from Barna that caused some serious conversation this year. According to the data, Gen Z churchgoers are attending services more frequently than any other generation.

On average, Gen Z churchgoers attend 1.9 times per month, compared to:

Now, this stat often gets misunderstood. Some people have claimed Gen Z is now the most Christian generation, but that’s not what the numbers say. The study specifically refers to churchgoers, not the entire generation.

What it does show is that those in Gen Z who follow Jesus are deeply committed. And that’s worth celebrating. Churches should be encouraged by this hunger and think seriously about how to disciple Gen Z with purpose and intentionality.

Ian followed up with a stat that feels all too real: just 20% of Americans attend church every week.

That’s a major drop from what many pastors used to expect from a “committed” church member. In today’s world, twice-a-month attendance is the new normal for many families.

And it’s not just laziness. Youth sports are scheduled on Sundays. Work schedules are all over the place. Even Easter Sunday can get hijacked by a 10 a.m. high school soccer game.

We get it. That doesn’t make it less frustrating, but it does mean pastors and church leaders need to rethink what engagement looks like. Weekly attendance is no longer the only measure of discipleship. People might miss a Sunday but show up in a small group or serve behind the scenes.

Still, the stat is a wake-up call. If your strategy is built on the assumption that people are attending 50 Sundays a year, it might be time for a reset.

Thomas shared another one that sparked conversation. A Pew study revealed that the gender gap in religious engagement is narrowing, but not because men are growing in faith. It’s because women are dropping off.

From 2007 to 2023, the number of women identifying with a religion dropped from 86% to 72%. Men also declined, but only from 79% to 67%.

Daily prayer, belief in God, and other markers of faith have also declined more sharply among women than men.

This is a trend worth watching. Historically, women have often been the spiritual anchors in their homes and churches. If that’s shifting, the impact will ripple across generations.

There’s a bit of good news: as men hold steady or slightly increase, there may be new opportunities to reach them more effectively. We’ve seen over and over that when a man comes to Christ, the rest of the family often follows.

But overall, this stat highlights a net loss. Churches need to understand why women are disengaging and respond with wisdom and care.

Ian brought in a stat that focused on non-churched adults aged 18 to 30. According to their research, this group is actively seeking a faith that:

This might not sound shocking on the surface, but consider the context. These are young adults who aren’t currently attending church. In a culture often marked by cynicism and skepticism, the desire for authentic and world-changing faith stands out.

This is good news for pastors and ministry leaders. It means people are still searching. They’re not interested in surface-level religion or flashy Sunday productions. They want something real. Something that speaks to their pain, purpose, and place in the world.

The church has something to say here. This is not a time to shrink back. It’s a time to speak clearly, serve boldly, and invite people into a story bigger than themselves.

Thomas came back with a stat combo that made us both cringe a little. Barna reports that:

That’s a big gap between what people...