Study shows small churches attract adults

VENTURA, Calif. — Despite the attention on the nation’s largest churches, 41 percent of churchgoing adults worship at churches with 100 or fewer adults in attendance on an average weekend, a Barna Research Group survey shows. In comparison, only 12 percent of churchgoing adults are found on the average weekend in churches where there are 1,000 or more adults in attendance.

The poll found that the smallest churches (average weekend attendance of 100 or fewer adults) are more likely than either midsized (301–999 adults) or large churches (1,000 or more adults) to attract people who are not college graduates and are more likely to interest people with lower household incomes.

Researchers also found that adults younger than 35 are more likely than older adults to worship in small churches. George Barna, president of the research firm, attributes that finding to the younger age group’s general disinterest in large-scale organizations as well as the tendency of younger adults to not have a need for children’s programs provided by larger churches.