Stiven Peter challenges readers to move beyond inviting people to church—invite them into your life. He cites a striking statistic from Jim Davis and Michael Graham’s The Great Dechurching: “the more education people have, the more likely they are to stay in Church.” This runs counter to the common assumption that secular universities breed skepticism toward faith.
Peter also shares data from Ryan Burge showing that “the people who are the most likely to attend services this weekend are those with college degrees, making $60K–$100K.” Yet these national trends may not reflect what happens in average or small Baptist congregations. Denomination and church size likely shape these patterns in ways the aggregate numbers don’t reveal.
Understanding how education correlates with church attendance informs how you might minister.
Understanding how education correlates with church attendance informs how you might minister. If higher education truly supports religious engagement, pastors can lean into intellectual formation rather than fear it. At the same time, we must examine whether smaller churches see the same effect, or whether income and education create different attendance dynamics across traditions.
Disclaimer: Information in my “slip-box” doesn’t necessarily reflect my agreement with the source or all its content. Recording diverse perspectives helps strengthen one’s position beyond the echo chamber of like-minded thinkers. By documenting alternative viewpoints, we engage in the intellectual wrestling match that ultimately deepens our understanding.
I aspire to post one note from my “slip-box” every weekday. If you want to learn more about how to work with knowledge, click this link: What is knowledge management?
Pastor Dan Patrick, raised in Northern Virginia near Washington, D.C., holds both a Bible degree and a Master’s of Divinity. He has ministered across five states from coast to coast, serving in various capacities, including pastoral leadership. Dan’s primary mission is to help people love God’s Word and find their purpose in God’s work.
