Lifeway Research
Enlightening today’s church with relevant research and insights
Pew to Pew Insights Report
Get an inside look at both the movers, those leaving a church because of a change in location, and the shakers, those leaving for reasons closer to home.
53% of U.S. regular churchgoers say they have attended more than one church as an adult.
60% of church switchers say a residential move played a role in their decision to change churches.
41% of church switchers stopped attending church for three months or more in between their previous church and current one.
“Many churchgoers have or will change churches either because they want to or because they have to after moving to a new home.”
– Scott McConnell, director of Lifeway Research
Download the Free Insights Report
Download Lifeway Research’s Pew to Pew Insights Report
"*" indicates required fields
“Which of the following resources did you use when looking for a new church?”
- 69% of church switchers who made a residential move say they used in-person visits to churches.
- 54% say they used recommendations from family, friends, neighbors, and/or colleagues.
- 40% say they used church websites.
71% of church switchers decide to regularly attend their current church after visiting worship services three times or less.
When churchgoers are visiting a new church, the first event or activity they will likely attend is a worship service (68%).
“I moved to a different state for work. I kind of lost my way spiritually after the move. But when God had worked on me enough, I felt the conviction to come back to His way. I asked around and was directed to my present church.”
– Church switcher
Help Those Moving to Your Community Find Your Church
Congregations and church leaders should proactively find, invite, and welcome believers who move into the area.
Learn More
Does Your Church Have Churchgoers With Unfulfilled Needs?
More than 1 in 4 church switchers say they changed because they had unfulfilled needs in the church (29%).
Learn More
8 Ways to Lose Churchgoers Through Change
If you want your regular churchgoers to keep coming back even through change, here are eight things you should avoid.
Learn More
Pastoral Hypocrisy and Bad Preaching Are a Turnoff to Churchgoers
Most churchgoers aren’t leaving a church because they have a personal complaint against the pastor or his preaching, but some are.
Learn MoreAdditional Insights
We want to hear from you!
Share how you're addressing the movers and shakers in your church.
"*" indicates required fields