A major new survey of over 24,000 Christian churchgoers in the US suggests many believe their faith and congregational life have strengthened in the years since the Covid-19 pandemic.
The report, This Place Means Everything to Me, was produced by Faith Communities Today and the Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations project.
Based on responses gathered from Christian churchgoers across over 80 denominations, it offers a rare look at post-pandemic church life from the perspective of worshippers rather than clergy.
Overall, the findings present a “largely positive picture” among those still attending church.
Researchers found that 64% of respondents attend worship at least weekly, while 21% said they attend more frequently than they did five years ago.
More than 80% said their attendance had either stayed the same or risen over the past five years. Only 15% reported a decline in attendance.
The findings also point to a significant post-pandemic influx of new churchgoers, with over a third (38%) saying they had joined their current congregation within the past five years.
Among them, 69% had moved from another church, while 22% were returning after a long absence and 8% were attending church for the first time.
The leading reason new attenders chose their church was congruence with their beliefs, values and preferences, cited by 63%.
A warm atmosphere and worship experience were each cited by 45%, while 44% pointed to denominational or faith tradition links.
Online worship also remains a significant part of church life, though in-person attendance is still favoured.
Three quarters of respondents attend mainly in person, while around 26% of respondents regularly worship online or combine online and in-person attendance.
Among online worshippers, 46% cited convenience as a reason for participating virtually. Others pointed to work schedules, illness, caregiving, family responsibilities or accessibility.
Only 8% said they preferred online worship itself.
The report found that online worshippers are often more engaged than some church leaders may assume, with 95% saying they pray or meditate during services, 79% reading along, and 71% singing along. However, 64% said they were also occupied with other tasks while watching.
The report found high satisfaction with online worship, with 87% of virtual churchgoers saying they were satisfied or very satisfied.
Financial giving and volunteering also appear to have recovered. Nearly all respondents (93%) said they give financially to their church, while 37% said their giving had increased over the past five years.
Half volunteer at least monthly, and 24% said they now volunteer more than before. Around one in five (19%) said they were volunteering less.
The pandemic also appears to have reinforced personal faith for many active churchgoers. Over half (55%) said their religious faith had grown stronger, while 57% reported stronger spirituality.
Almost half said they felt more connected to their church (49%) and more confident in its leadership (49%) and spiritual support (48%).
Most respondents also viewed their churches positively, with 84% saying they approved of their church’s pandemic response, and 49% believing their church has emerged stronger than before.
One respondent said their church was “a beacon of hope, healing and restoration,” while another said, “becoming a Christian has done nothing but vastly improve my life.”
Another worshipper reflected: “This place means everything to me.”
The study also highlighted changing patterns of church loyalty. Nearly half (46%) of respondents said they often take part in services at other churches, while 7% identify with more than one home church.
Researchers said those with multiple home churches tend to show lower commitment to any one congregation, though regularly engaging with other churches does not necessarily weaken involvement in a primary church.
The authors cautioned that the findings should not be read as a complete picture of all Americans’ religious experience.
Respondents were mostly active churchgoers, and many attended larger congregations, which were often better equipped to withstand pandemic disruption.
Lead researcher Dr Scott Thumma said: “These findings shed light onto the changing patterns of attender participation that we can’t easily observe.
"For those who have remained as active participants in their churches, the pandemic seems to have been a catalyst to strengthen their faith, increase their giving and explore new ways of enhancing their spiritual practices.”
