Insight 159: FaithSoaring Churches Focus Less on Average Attendance

The average weekly attendance in congregations is increasingly less relevant. Average weekly attendance is a short-term assessment of program success. It says very little about the long-term vitality of congregations and the spiritual formation and missional engagement of people connected with congregations.

Registering people in attendance at worship four weeks in a row in the fall and in the spring, provides a trend line of active people in the worship life of the congregation. When people attend corporate worship 30 to 40 percent less Sundays than they did 50 years ago, this is a better figure than weekly average attendance.

About the author 

Kyndra Bremer