VENTURA, Calif. -- Fewer than one in three adults attends worship weekly, according to the Barna Research Group, which tracks Christian trends. Barna's "The State of the Church: 2002" study found that busy lifestyles are keeping people away from church, according to Charisma News Service.
Attendance among the unchurched, however, has grown, Barna reported. The unchurched -- those who have not attended a service in the last six months other than for a special event -- grew from 24 percent to 34 percent since 1991.
Barna found that Baby Boomers, women, Hispanics and residents of the Northeast and West coast are less likely to attend church today than in years past. Barna blames the decline on fewer Catholics regularly attending church and an increase in lifestyle diversions, such as travel and sporting events.
"It takes more than good intentions and a menu of popular programs to make a dent in the nation's religious identity and consciousness," the research group's president, George Barna said.
