The year 2025 was a strong year for church growth in the Pacific Northwest, marking the fifth consecutive year of growth and reaching a 13-year high with 2,268 baptisms and professions of faith.
This growth follows a focused investment in Pentecost 2025 evangelism outreach across the North Pacific Union.
Northwest churches saw a 5.9% increase in accessions — a data point that combines baptisms and professions of faith — reaching the highest level recorded between 2013 and 2025.
The last time NPUC recorded more than 2,200 baptisms in a single year was 2013. That changed in 2025, when accessions reached 2,268.
Accessions saw a dramatic drop in 2020 during the pandemic, falling to 1,143 baptisms and professions of faith. Since then, the number has steadily increased each year, with 2025 representing a 5.9% increase over the previous year.
Bill McClendon, NPUC vice president for administration, shared this membership growth report at the March 4, 2026 NPUC executive committee meeting.
Multiple congregations within the six NPUC conferences participated in Pentecost 2025, an initiative across and beyond North America that brought together a focused effort for prayer, community engagement, proclamation and discipleship.
Notably, Washington Conference had high levels of church and school participation in Pentecost 2025. As a result, the conference reported 859 baptisms in 2025, a 46.3% gain from the previous year and the record baptism total in the conference’s history.
Idaho Conference celebrated 199 baptisms and professions of faith in 2025, a 12.4% increase, while Upper Columbia Conference reported 491 accessions, a 9.1% increase.
Oregon Conference welcomed 611 new members in 2025 following a banner year in 2024, when the conference recorded 729 accessions.
Church leaders note that the numbers represent the stories of individuals and the local church. Healthy church growth is necessary for sustaining the life of a congregation and keeping the church moving outward in its mission to serve, invite and disciple.
“Healthy churches will grow and multiply,” McClendon said.
NPUC is home to 453 churches, 55 companies and 40 groups. NPUC executive committee and church growth leaders have been tracking church attendance numbers that congregations submit as one way to measure church vitality.
In 2025, 438 of 508 churches reported attendance, giving a snapshot of 90% of Northwest congregations. Currently, in-person attendance is 35.1%. While this is still a low engagement number, it is an uptick from previous years.
Attendance tracking also includes online viewers. With the online audience added in, 41.4% of Northwest members, on average, are regularly attending an Adventist Church.
These percentages reflect average attendance on a given Sabbath. Over a multi-week period, the number of unique members attending at least once would likely be much higher, as many members attend regularly but not every week.
Church vitality continues to be measured over time. This year, NPUC presented Certificates of Achievement to 145 growing churches and seven multiplying churches.
“We believe people are discipled when they are active in a vibrant church community,” McClendon said.
The evangelism and church growth momentum from 2025 is already continuing into 2026. The first quarter of the year witnessed 242 baptisms.
“When we pray for the Holy Spirit, the work does not stop. The Holy Spirit continues to reach people above and beyond our initiatives,” noted John Freedman, NPUC president. “We keep seeing examples of how it’s beginning to rain with God’s blessings.”
