A new report from Family Research Council has found that hostility against churches in the United States remains at unparalleled rates. The report’s findings reveal an ongoing trend in America in which vandalism, gun violence, and overall hostility against houses of worship remain at some of the highest rates seen in years.

The 2025 edition is just one of the several reports that FRC has published on hostility against churches over the last several years. It presents data compiled from 2024 and compares the findings to prior trends dating as far back as 2018, with all information gathered from public media sources and reports. Notable findings in the report include:

• The previous six years (2018-2023) featured an increase in hostile acts against U.S. churches. FRC identified 50 incidents in 2018, 83 in 2019, 55 in 2020, and 98 in 2021. The total number of incidents in 2023 (485) was more than double the number identified in 2022 (198).
• In 2024, the number of incidents declined slightly to 415. However, this total from a single 12-month span is nearly equal to the findings from FRC’s very first report (420), which covered 57 months.
• California had the most incidents in 2024 with 40, followed by Pennsylvania with 29, Florida and New York with 25, Texas with 23, and Tennessee and Ohio with 19.
• There were 284 instances of vandalism, 55 instances of arson, 14 bomb threats, and 47 “other.” Notably, the number of gun-related incidents in 2024 (28) was more than double the number identified in 2023 (12). Thirteen incidents fell into more than one category.
• FRC has identified 1,384 acts of hostility against U.S. churches since January 2018.

While the incidents decreased from 485 total events in 2023 to 415, the trend has spiked significantly from years prior. Incidents resulting from pro-choice opposition decreased from 59 in 2022 to just two in this latest report. Still, one report of vandalism at a church in Portland, Oregon showcased a spray-painted message that read “F*** U” and “My body, my choice.” Thirty-three incidents occurred at churches that displayed support of LGBT ideology with Pride flags, which were stolen from their property.

It’s important to remember that any act of hostility can create significant financial and emotional stress for the affected church, regardless of the motive. Such is the case for the congregants of North Peoria Church of Christ in Oklahoma when their air conditioning units were stolen. The incident resulted in $100,000 worth of damages. Another event at First Christian Church in Brenham, Texas required significant repairs after an unknown culprit shattered over 15 of its windows with rocks and bricks. Pastor Charles Topping of First Christian Church reported, “It breaks my heart to know that somebody could harbor that much anger against not only this building but also against God.” While the motivations for this aggression may vary, any act of hostility sends a clear message of disrespect towards the Christian faith, church authority, and God.

This hostility is also occurring in the context of an increasingly unchurched population, the report notes, where “Christianity [is] seemingly losing influence and respect in American life.” Regular church attendance has decreased by 12% in the last 20 years alone. This societal apathy may be a key element that, at the very least, decreases the stigma and outrage caused by such acts of violence, or worse, fuels anti-Christian sentiment. 

As such, it’s imperative that our elected officials act to promote safety and respect for institutions of faith as well as Americans’ First Amendment rights, which are no doubt being threatened by the ongoing aggression. Family Research Council President Tony Perkins emphasized, “We applaud the efforts of the Trump administration, but efforts must be taken at every level of government to protect and promote this fundamental human right. Christians must expect and demand more from their government leaders when it comes to prosecuting and preventing criminal acts targeting religious freedom.”

Men and women of faith must remain aware of the context they find themselves in, Travis Weber, FRC’s vice president for Policy and Government Affairs, told The Washington Stand. He argued that the church must “sit up and take notice” of these trends to promote safety and true freedom of worship. Doing so involves government officials working together at the local, state, and federal levels.

“Government leaders should do their part in ensuring that our laws and constitutional protections for the free exercise of religion are enforced, and our culture and its institutions must do their part in ensuring honor and respect for religious freedom,” Weber insisted. “Meanwhile, we must prepare ourselves for how to live amid such hostility, should this trend continue or perhaps get even worse.”

Alaina Cothran served as an intern for Family Research Council's Center for Religious Liberty.