What new research reveals about churchgoers
by: Rev. Dr. Anna Hall
In our local congregations, we often assume that Sunday morning gatherings are just one part of being a church member, so we offer book and Bible studies, fellowship times, and opportunities for social impact throughout the week. It can feel frustrating when these activities only gather a handful of folks at best, especially if we have put great effort into scheduling and planning.
There is nothing wrong with your congregation if this is happening to you. In fact, your attendance patterns are simply echoing the national trends.
According to researchers at the Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations (EPIC) project at the Hartford Institute for Religion Research, for many churchgoers, spiritual practice is over as soon as the worship service ends. Almost 40% of people who attend church do not regularly engage in faith/spiritual practices outside of Sunday worship.
Grieving the Gap
For pastors, ministry leaders, and anyone who cares deeply about congregational life, statistics like these can feel depressing. We worry that our congregants aren’t taking their Sunday faith into the rest of their lives.
We may try to fix this problem with a new sermon series or a heavier schedule of weekday programming. That is not the answer. Instead, we should stop and admit how this reality feels. It’s okay to grieve the ideal vision of congregational life we may have held in our minds. If we can take the time we need to accept and process this reality, we will be open to new approaches.
Asking the Right Questions
We often ask: Why isn’t anyone attending our programs and activities? This is the wrong question. We must ask instead: What is happening in our people’s daily lives that leaves them with only a couple of hours on Sunday to engage with faith?
And just as importantly: How can our churches support and love people right where they are, rather than where we think they ought to be? The absence of people at weekday events doesn’t mean they don’t care. Modern life is overwhelming, busy, exhausting, and noisy. That one hour in the sanctuary may be the only quiet and reflective space they experience all week long. Using that time to guilt people into signing up for more activities and committees takes that away.
Meeting People Where They Live
When we stop expecting people to change their lives to fit into our institutions, we will love them better. Instead of demanding more time from our people, we can equip and nourish them for their actual everyday lives.
- Nourish on Sundays: Emphasize faith formation, contemplative practices, and mutual support. Avoid overwhelming people with announcements and duty-driven calls to action.
- Rethink Weekdays: Don’t add more gathering times to already busy calendars. Try something new: a simple daily text prompt, a recorded guided breath prayer, or a short podcast-style reflection for busy people.
- Emphasize Everyday Faith: Help your folks find the sacred in the everyday, so that walking the dog, cooking a meal, creating art, or resting quietly become faith formation.
- Care First: If your folks are longing for more connection to each other during the week, neighborhood walks and informal coffee meetups where people share their struggles and joys can build genuine relationships without the pressure of “signing up.”
Love Without an Agenda
Jesus doesn’t call us to preserve institutional church structures or build bigger programs. We are simply called to love God and love our neighbors. Meeting churchgoers where they actually are is an act of radical, unconditional love. When faith on Sunday feels like a life-giving refuge rather than a recruitment session for additional obligations, it can transform the rest of the week all on its own.
Is your congregation ready to love and support the “Sunday-only” churchgoer this week? Reach out to us at Convergence for help creating a vital congregational life in the 21st century.