Free evangelical churches in Germany have reported a sharp increase in baptisms, with the number rising by more than three-quarters over four years. 

The Federation of Free Evangelical Churches in Germany (FeG) said 2,624 people were baptised on profession of faith in its churches in 2025, compared with 1,491 four years earlier. 

The number of baptismal services also increased from 554 to 822. 

The FeG, which represents 504 congregations and 40,933 members, described the increase in baptisms as one of the clearest signs of change in its latest statistics. 

Its churches also reported around 2,700 "decisions for faith in Jesus Christ" during the most recent two-year reporting period. The figure had regularly been below 2,000 up to 2021 and stood at around 2,400 in 2023. 

Guido Sadler, managing director of the FeG, said: "These figures fill us with great joy and gratitude." 

He said churches were seeing people asking about God "whether for the first time or once again", adding that the increase in baptisms was particularly encouraging. 

Free evangelical churches practise baptism following a personal profession of faith rather than infant baptism, meaning the figures are not directly comparable with baptism statistics from Germany's larger denominations. 

The FeG also reported a recovery in worship attendance following the Covid pandemic. Its ratio of attendances to membership fell to 62 per cent in 2021 but had risen to 92 per cent by the end of 2025. 

The figures contrast with continuing membership declines in Germany's two largest Churches. The Evangelical Church in Germany reported around 17.4m members at the end of 2025, down 3.2 per cent on the previous year, while the Catholic Church reported around 19.2m members. 

Sadler said: "Behind every figure stand people who are discovering faith, experiencing fellowship, being baptised or setting out to find a new church."