The number of Americans identifying as non-denominational Christians has grown sharply in recent decades, according to a new report.
The CBS Evening News, Eye on America segment on 17th November 2025 cited research from the General Social Survey, which found that fewer than three percent of Americans identified as non-denominational in 1972, compared with nearly 40 million believers today.
Rooftop Church which attracts 600 attendees weekly, is one of an estimated 40,000 non-denominational churches in the U.S.
Matt Herndon, head pastor of Rooftop Church near St. Louis, Missouri, told the network that he seeks to engage his congregation “in a way that [people] can understand and lean into.” Herndon calls this "big tent Christianity."
He uses videos and pop culture while focusing on what he sees as the fundamentals of the Bible, without taking a hard line.
When asked what he would say to people who view his church as "Christianity light", Herndon said, "I emphatically disagree. We dig really deep into scripture, we just try to figure out, what does this mean for people?"
He added: "Some denominations, more traditional denominations, I think they've realized, we don't have much of a future unless we try to figure out how to reconnect with people."
Ryan Burge, a religion professor at Washington University in St. Louis, told CBS News that many non-denominational churches “really talk about a personal relationship with Jesus Christ”.
Burge also predicted that non-denominational Christians could surpass Roman Catholics as the country’s largest religious tradition in the coming decades.