Church attendance this side of the pandemic has been on a big decline, and it looks like it’s only getting worse.
Over the last few years, self-identifying Christians have taken some pretty major steps back from attending church services. And a new study from The American Bible Organization found the number of Americans who “never attend” church rose almost doubled last year, growing from 19 percent to 35 percent.
It’s been a difficult few years for churches in America, and there appear to be several factors attributing to this growing trend. One reason is the rise of secularism. In recent years, there has been a growing trend of Americans who identify as non-religious. In 2020, a record 30 percent of Americans said they were not religiously affiliated.
Another reason for the decline of church attendance is the changing demographics of the United States. The country is becoming more diverse, and many minority groups are less likely to be identify as Christians than white Americans. For example, only 55 percent of Hispanic Americans identify as Christian, compared to 77 percent of white Americans.
Mixed in with these growing factors is the lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic that is still affecting churches. Many were forced to close their doors during the pandemic, and many people have simply not returned since they reopened.
