Younger churchgoers in the United States are twice as likely than older worshipers to want more liturgy and structure added to their church services, according to the Evangelical research group Lifeway Research.
Among churchgoers ages 18 to 29, 18% say they would like more liturgical elements, and 19% of those ages 30 to 49 say the same, compared with 9% of churchgoers 50 and older, a Lifeway survey of over 1,200 Protestant churchgoers found.
The gap also shows up in satisfaction.
Just 69% of churchgoers ages 18 to 29 and 30 to 49 say they are content with the current amount of liturgy in their church, compared with 80% of those 50 to 64 and 77% of those 65 and older.
Liturgical style refers to elements such as set prayers, responsive readings and formal patterns of worship, as opposed to a more informal or organic service.
Churchgoers who are 65 and older are more likely to say their church is very liturgical, 29%, compared with 15% of those ages 18–29.
The respondents were surveyed in September 2025, and the survey contains a sampling error that does not exceed plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.
Scott McConnell, the group’s executive director, said many younger churchgoers are early in their spiritual growth and still working out how the overall narrative of Scripture connects.
"Liturgical elements such as creeds and other regular practices can serve as helpful reminders of biblical truths and provide structure that guides believers through worship,” McConnell said.
Nationally, most Protestant churchgoers are satisfied with their church’s worship style regardless of age.
Three in four churchgoers, 75%, say they are fine with the current amount of liturgical style in their church, while 13% would like more, 5% would prefer less and 7% are unsure.
Protestant churches vary widely in how they structure services. About one in four churchgoers, 24%, say their church has a very liturgical style. The largest share, 42%, say their church has some liturgical elements, while 27% say their church has none and 7% are unsure.
McConnell said individual churches and branches of Protestant Christianity carry different amounts of liturgy in their history, and called it reassuring that most churchgoers are comfortable with whatever style they attend.
“Whether a church uses responsive readings and creeds or a more organic style of worship, those different expressions share the same goal — helping people acknowledge God’s presence and worship Him together. When churches are moving in that same direction, a variety of worship styles can be effective,” said McConnell.
Among those who want change, few want less liturgy.
With 13% wanting more liturgical elements, 8% currently attend churches with some liturgical practices and 5% attend churches with none. Of the 5% who want less, 3% attend churches with some liturgical elements and 2% attend very liturgical churches.
A separate study conducted in 2019 found that only 15% of U.S. Protestant pastors named the task of navigating varying worship preferences as the biggest challenge they faced with music in their congregation.
According to the latest Lifeway research, denomination also correlates with liturgical style.
Almost half of nondenominational churchgoers, 45%, say their church has no liturgical style, as do 27% of Baptists. Most Lutherans, 56%, and nearly two in five Presbyterian or Reformed churchgoers, 38%, say their church is very liturgical.
Presbyterian or Reformed churchgoers, at 22%, are among the most likely to want more liturgical elements added to their services. Lutherans, at 10%, nondenominational churchgoers, at 9%, and Methodists, at 8%, are less likely to want additional liturgy. Nondenominational churchgoers report some of the highest satisfaction with their current worship style, at 79%, compared with 71% of Baptists.
Churchgoers who hold Evangelical beliefs are more likely than those who do not to say their church has no liturgical style, 34% against 19%.
Other demographic patterns also emerge. Men, at 26%, are more likely than women, at 21%, to say their church is very liturgical. African American churchgoers, at 19%, are more likely than white churchgoers, at 11%, and Hispanic churchgoers, at 10%, to say they want more liturgical elements.
Education level correlates with satisfaction. Churchgoers with a bachelor’s degree or graduate degree, 78%, are more likely than those with a high school education or less, 70%, to say they are content with their church's current amount of liturgical style.
Church size shows a similar pattern. Most churchgoers at churches with 500 or more attendees, 51%, say their congregation has no liturgical style, and 80% of those attendees say they are content with the current approach.
Originally published by The Christian Post.
