By Briana Bass, Christian Romance Author, Devotional Writer & Certified Professional Coach

A recent report published by the Bible Society revealed that church attendance of young adults ages 18-34 increased from 4% in 2018 to 16% in 2024. That’s a big jump! Conversations around Gen Z and revival have been happening for a couple of years now, especially since mass baptisms on college campuses went viral on social media. It’s exciting to witness, in real time, young people accepting Jesus into their lives.

What’s concerning is what the data shows when we break down the demographics into men and women. According to the Bible Society study, known as The Quiet Revival, 21% of young men in the UK regularly attend church compared to 12% of young women. Both numbers are still significant increases from 2018, at 4% and 3% respectively, but it’s quite a difference between the number of men and number of women currently involved in church.

Why are young women less inclined to attend church than young men, and how do we encourage young women to attend church? These are questions the church has been wrestling with for years, though the focus has largely been young people as a whole. I believe that we need to separate how we attract young men to the church and how we attract young women to the church. Their needs, wants, and fears are different. Once we acknowledge these differences, we can create a plan to address the root issues and increase female attendance in churches.

The Times They Are A-Changin’

I spend a lot of time on Instagram and Threads, mostly reading faith-related posts. While I have not completed any sociological surveys, I can speak to anecdotal data I have seen online. Many women are hesitant to join a church or even follow Jesus because they or other women they know have experienced church hurt. Sometimes this trauma is caused by institutionally accepted abuse. In other instances, women are intentionally marginalized and oppressed by outdated (and not Biblically sound) patriarchal practices.

For some women, to walk into a church that is male-dominated and largely male-populated is like walking into the lion’s den. Jesus may offer freedom from fear, but the church doesn’t always follow His lead. Historically, the church has treated women far worse than how it treats men. Verses like 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 and 1 Timothy 2:11-15 have been taken out of context and weaponized against women. Biblical submission is thrown out the window in favor of cultural submission. Instead of valuing God’s daughters, the church degrades them.

Gen Z women grew up in a post-modern feminist reality where they were told they could be anything and have it all. They saw increasing numbers of women working in historically male-dominated fields or running major corporations and it became the norm for them. They are old enough to remember the #MeToo movement. And they saw that the church didn’t reflect the strides secular culture was making. Arguments about women preaching are still happening today. Pastoral abusers continue to hold high-ranking leadership positions in their congregations and denominations. Can you blame Gen Z for wanting to stay away from that?

Four Ways to Encourage Young Women to Attend Church

I don’t have all the answers. Whatever ideas my generation brainstorms to encourage young women to attend church won’t apply to everyone because the reasons young women avoid the church are varied and personal. And honestly, for some, organized religion will never be the answer and that’s okay. Community is important but it will never be as important as a personal relationship with Jesus.

So how do we get young women in the pews? Here are four ideas to help get you started:

• Other women must lead by example. Let them see us not only attending worship services but actively participating as musicians and worship leaders. Put women in the pulpit and other women will come!
• Personal invitations go a long way. If you know a young woman who doesn’t regularly attend church, ask her to join you one Sunday. Save a seat for her. Offer to give her a ride. Invite her to lunch after the service. Introduce her to other young adults in your congregation (especially other young women!).
• Be conscious of their schedules. Many young women are focused on their careers, working long hours, including nights and weekends. They may not be available to volunteer for committees or attend ministry groups, which could limit their fellowship opportunities. Create other ways for them to connect with the congregation such as virtual Bible study or weeknight meals instead of weekday lunches.
• Tailor your women’s ministry groups. Don’t always focus on topics related to marriage and motherhood. Consider universal topics, such as work/life balance and Sabbath rest, exploring the lives of Biblical women, or financial stewardship.

The Way Forward

We owe it to young adult women to provide safe spaces where they can grow in faith, cultivate relationships with Jesus, and engage in fellowship with other believers. Many congregations already do this! Gen Z is scared of getting hurt, which is totally understandable, so it’s up to us to show them that churches can be places of peace and justice.

Church also has to be relatable to young women. They deserve to be seen and heard, to have their concerns and challenges acknowledged. If we want more young women attending church, then we must be willing to change. The church will not survive if it continues to be male-centric and/or older-women centric. Only when young women see there is a place for them at the table will we finally witness a revival.