Nearly half of American churchgoers attend more than one church as online worship services have become increasingly prevalent following the COVID-19 pandemic, a new survey finds.
The Hartford Institute for Religion Research published a June report detailing the findings of its “Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations” project. The research is based on responses from 24,165 churchgoers across the United States, representing 80 denominations. Researchers collected data from September 2024 through January 2025.
The report examines Americans’ worship patterns following the COVID-19 pandemic that reached its peak in 2020, finding that a “staggering” 46% of respondents say they attend at least more than one congregation on a regular basis.
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When asked if they regularly participate in other congregations, 22% said they physically attend more than one congregation. An additional 10% reported attending a congregation other than their home congregation virtually or via a television broadcast.
The remaining 14% attend at least one other place of worship virtually and in person. Most respondents (54%) say they only attend one congregation.
The “involvement and loyalty across multiple churches,” researchers say, “may be a new pattern of engagement for congregational members, sparked by the rise of livestream worship during the pandemic.”
“About one in five people who regularly participate elsewhere are doing so with a congregation of a different denomination or faith tradition,” the report reads.
Those who have “multiple church homes are less committed to their congregation on all the metrics related to congregational commitment.”
“However, the action of regularly attending services at multiple congregations, whether in person or virtually, does not have the same detrimental effect on home church commitment. Participating in other services does not negatively impact how often one attends their primary congregation, donates a percentage of their income, or how frequently they volunteer,” the report stated.
“Attendance at other congregational services and activities appears to be more of an added spiritual/religious practice than a detraction or reason to split their time, attention, and resources.”
Researchers pondered whether people attending multiple congregations “has increased since the pandemic since so many congregations now offer virtual services.”
“While expanded virtual access to other congregations may explain part of this trend, 36% of respondents nevertheless report regularly attending at least one other congregation physically,” the report stated. “The increased use of virtual worship and livestreaming post-pandemic has offered an increased opportunity for easy and risk-free ‘shopping’ between congregations or attending multiple worship services.”
Because there is no earlier nationally representative sample to compare, researchers say it’s “unclear whether this phenomenon has increased since the pandemic.”
“However, previous research on attenders in US megachurches (churches with 2,000 or more weekly attenders) found that 12% of respondents claimed multiple church homes,” the report explains.
The survey asked if respondents considered their current congregation their “home church,” with 90% of those surveyed answering in the affirmative. Four percent said no, while 7% reported having “other home congregations.”
The study also looks at why participants who attend church services online opt to do so.
Forty-six percent of those who attend church services online cite “convenience” as the reason they choose that option, while 31% pointed to illness or status as homebound or a caregiver.
Other frequently cited reasons for attending church services online include accessibility concerns (30%), concerns about catching the flu and/or COVID-19 (28%), time (26%), work schedule (26%), family and/or children (26%), traveling out of town (16%), weather (15%), living in a location far away from a congregation (12%) and a preference for attending virtual services (8%).
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
