State of Church Technology report findings usually get summarized as a list of statistics without much explanation of what they actually mean for a church trying to make decisions.
This breaks down five findings worth knowing, what each one actually says, and what it means for your church specifically, not just the topline numbers.
Use this to understand where the broader church technology conversation actually stands right now and where your church fits into it.
What Is the State of Church Technology Report?
The State of Church Technology report is an annual study published by Pushpay in partnership with Barna Group, now in its fifth year, surveying more than 1,300 U.S. church leaders on how they use technology in ministry. The most recent edition, titled "Technology for Missional Impact," was based on a survey conducted in late 2025.
Worth knowing before reading the findings: MinistryWatch's coverage points out that Pushpay sells church technology products and has a commercial interest in portraying digital tools as increasingly essential to ministry. That doesn't mean the data is wrong, but it's worth reading the findings as research with a commercial angle attached, not a neutral academic study.
5 Findings From the State of Church Technology Report Every Church Should Know
Here are the five findings most worth understanding and what each one actually means in practice.
Technology Has Moved From Adoption to Alignment
The report's central finding is that most churches have already answered whether to use technology, and the real question now is what role it should play in ministry. This matters because it changes the conversation your church should be having. Instead of debating whether to livestream, use an app, or adopt AI tools, the more useful question is whether your existing technology actually supports your mission or just adds activity without direction.
Nearly All Church Leaders See Technology as Mission-Critical
The report found that 95% of church leaders say technology opens new opportunities for ministry, and 94% say it helps the church fulfill its mission in today's digital culture. This near-universal agreement means technology skepticism is no longer the norm among church leadership. The practical takeaway is that resistance to new tools within a church is now more likely to come from implementation concerns, cost, training, or fit than from leadership doubting technology's value in the first place.
One in Four Churches Is "High-Missional" With Tech
The report introduced a new metric this year, identifying churches that treat digital tools as genuinely integrated into their spiritual mission rather than just operational support. About one in four churches fall into this "high-missional" category, and these churches see notably stronger participation from Generation Z (51%) and millennials (47%) than their peers. The distinction isn't about how much technology a church owns. It's about whether that technology is tied to a clear purpose.
Most Churches Want an AI Policy, but Almost None Have One
The report found that 64% of church leaders believe having an AI policy is important, but only 5% actually have one in place. This is one of the clearest gaps in the entire report, a near-universal recognition of the need paired with almost no follow-through. We cover exactly what belongs in a basic church AI policy and why the gap exists, in Should Your Church Have an AI Policy? What the Data Says.
Not sure where your church's technology strategy actually stands? Book a free consultation and we'll help you take stock of what you have and what's actually missing.
Missional Tech Use Is Linked to Stronger Spiritual Engagement
Churches in the high-missional category reported meaningfully stronger outcomes tied to spiritual engagement, not just attendance or app usage. Sixty percent of leaders at these churches reported effectiveness in fostering reliance on the Holy Spirit for guidance, a 35-point difference compared to low-missional peers. This finding is worth taking seriously and skeptically at the same time. It's a self-reported measure from church leaders, not an independently verified outcome, but the size of the gap is large enough to suggest a real pattern, not just noise.
What Should Your Church Actually Do With These Findings?
These findings point to a few practical next steps worth taking seriously, rather than filing this report away as background reading.
Audit your current technology against your mission, not just against what other churches are using, since alignment matters more than adoption at this point.
Write a basic AI policy now, even a short one, since this is the single clearest gap between stated priority and actual action in the whole report.
Pay attention to how younger generations engage with your technology specifically, since the report's strongest engagement gains show up disproportionately among Gen Z and millennial members.
Treat this report as one data point, not gospel, given its commercial origin, and weigh it alongside your own church's actual experience.
Summing It Up
The State of Church Technology report's core message is that most churches have moved past deciding whether to use technology and are now facing a harder question: whether that technology actually serves their mission. The clearest actionable gap in the whole report is AI policy, a near-universal felt need with almost no follow-through. Whatever your church takes from this report, it's worth reading the findings as a starting point for your own evaluation, not a verdict on what your church should do.
Want help turning these findings into an actual plan for your church? Book a free consultation and we'll help you figure out what's actually worth prioritizing.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who conducted the State of Church Technology report?
Pushpay, a church payments and engagement platform, conducted the report in partnership with Barna Group, a research organization focused on faith and culture. It surveyed more than 1,300 U.S. church leaders.
Is the report biased since Pushpay sells church technology products?
Pushpay does have a commercial interest in the findings, since it sells the kind of technology the report studies. That doesn't automatically make the data wrong, but it's worth reading the findings with that context in mind rather than treating it as fully neutral research.
What does "missional technology" mean?
It refers to technology that's genuinely tied to a church's spiritual mission, reaching people, discipleship, and community, rather than technology used purely for administrative or operational purposes.
Does my church need an AI policy right away?
Given that staff and volunteers are likely already using AI tools whether or not a policy exists, having even a basic policy sooner rather than later closes a real, documented gap most churches currently have.
How often is this report published?
The State of Church Technology report is published annually. The most recent edition, its fifth year, was released in March 2026.