Most practicing Christians and churched adults agree attending church is one of the most important experiences of their week. Even so, participating in a worship service can elicit a range of emotions from U.S. adults, from inspired and encouraged to guilty and disappointed.
As churches continue to think about what gatherings look like in the “new normal,” it’s worth taking note of the good, the bad and the reflective emotions U.S. adults experience in relation to church attendance.
3-in-5 churchgoers affirm that, “most of the time,” they leave worship feeling as if they’ve learned something new.
The Good: Two-Thirds of Churched Adults Feel “Encouraged” After Worship Services
Largely, among both practicing Christians and churchgoing U.S. adults, data show that attending church prompts positive feelings. Over four in five practicing Christians (82%) and roughly two-thirds of churchgoers (67%)—U.S. adults who have been to church in the past six months—say they leave worship services feeling encouraged at least “most of the time.” Another three-quarters of practicing Christians (78%) and two in three churched adults (65%) agree that they feel inspired “most of the time,” or more often, after participating in a worship service. A similar percentage (77% practicing Christians, 65% churched adults) says they feel forgiven at least “most of the time” following church attendance.
The Bad: Half of Churched Adults Feel “Disappointed” After Church at Least Sometimes
Even though the majority of both practicing Christians (42%) and churched adults (34%) say they “almost never” leave church feeling guilty, roughly one-quarter each says this “sometimes” happens (29% practicing Christians, 26% churched adults). Churched adults are also more likely to say they feel guilty following a church service “about half the time” (18% vs. 11% practicing Christians).
Some practicing Christians and churchgoers also express feeling disappointed after attending worship services at their church. While the majority of practicing Christians (62%) and half of church adults (50%) say this “almost never” happens, that leaves a not-insignificant proportion feeling disappointed after a church service at least “sometimes,” if not more frequently.
