Date

4-7-2026

Department

Rawlings School of Divinity

Degree

Doctor of Education in Christian Leadership (EdD)

Chair

Micah Noelle Nave

Keywords

attendance, Christianity, church, millennials, patterns

Disciplines

Educational Leadership | Ethics in Religion

Abstract

This study examined the qualitative phenomenon associated with perceived fluctuation of millennials’ church attendance. The researcher sought to explore lived experiences of African American millennials within the context of Baptist churches in Washington, DC, who experienced a period of childhood and adolescence in the Baptist church. This study examined the underlying factors influencing millennials’ church attendance, known as lived experiences. Studies by Pew Research (2015a, 2015b, 2018, 2019a, 2019b, 2019c, 2025), Barna Research (2015, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024), and Lifeway Research (2019, 2022, 2023, 2025) shaped the researcher’s open-ended questions, delimitations, and underlying assumptions. This researcher exposed that understanding millennials’ lived experiences proved to be foundational when studying the factors behind millennials’ church attendance. Furthermore, this study draws upon the Great Commission (King James Bible, 1769/2017, Matthew 28:19) underscoring the directive to make disciples of all nations, baptizing and teaching all generations to observe what Christ has commanded. Grounded in the Great Commission, which articulates the fulfillment of God’s purpose and affirms kingdom building as central to the mission of the Christian church, this study examines how millennials engage in and understand kingdom-building practices. By exploring millennials’ patterns of church attendance, this research advances the understanding of their evolving relationship with the church and the ways in which church attendance is being redefined beyond traditional institutional measures. Consistent with Pew Research (2019a), this study defines millennials as individuals born between 1981 and 1996.

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