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As Australians question whether this year’s Census will undercount Christians, the 2026 National Church Life Survey offers a more detailed picture of Christian belief and practice around the nation — one that leaders say is overdue after years of Covid disruption.

Local churches across Australia have until October to sign up for the 2026 National Church Life Survey — a once-every-five-years study that shapes how denominations, researchers and governments gauge the health of Christianity and the church nationwide.

“The Australian Church currently has unprecedented opportunities to share the lasting hope Jesus offers to an increasingly uncertain world,” Anglican Primate Mark Short said in a recent endorsement of the survey.

This is the eighth National Church Life Survey (NCLS) since 1991 — a research endeavour run every five years alongside the national Census. Churches from 21 denominations and movements are taking part in 2026. Independent congregations are also involved, according to NCLS Research executive director Professor Ruth Powell.

“The last National Church Life Survey, conducted in 2021–22, took place during COVID-19, a moment that was anything but normal,” Powell told The Daily Declaration. “In 2026, the need for a fresh national snapshot of church life has never been greater.”

Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne Peter Comensoli made a similar observation in his endorsement, noting it has “been a decade since we last captured a national snapshot of normal church life, making this year’s survey particularly important.”

Formal sign-ups for individual churches closed in July, but NCLS Research says the door remains open. “Yes! There is definitely time to sign up!” Powell assured The Daily Declaration, urging late churches to register as soon as possible.

How To Take Part

The survey runs in three stages. In August, one representative per participating church completes the Church Activities Survey, providing an overview of the congregation’s local ministries and programs. From September to October, attenders aged 16 and over are invited to complete the Attender Survey. Participation is voluntary, and the survey, which is available online or in print in nine languages, takes around 20 minutes to complete.

Churches that are yet to sign up can still order their surveys directly through NCLS Research at 2026ncls.org.au. An optional Child Survey is available for young churchgoers aged 8 to 15, with parental consent required.

While the Leader Survey and Church Activities Survey are free, the Attender Survey costs $400 per church plus $2 per survey form. NCLS Research outlines several ways to reduce this cost, including a flat rate for small churches and subsidies provided by some denominations. No payment is required when an order is placed.

Three Decades of Tracking

NCLS Research has surveyed Australian churchgoers every five years since 1991. The National Church Life Survey remains Australia’s longest-running study of church attendance. Recent NCLS data shows weekly church attendance at around 1.3 million people, or just under 5 per cent of Australia’s 28 million inhabitants.

The survey asks detailed questions about what Christians believe and how they practice their faith, offering a clearer picture of the Australian church than the Census religion question allows. As previously reported by The Daily Declaration, the Census offers no dedicated tick-box for many believers and could be undercounting Christians due to the current wording of the question.

Powell said the timing alongside the Census is deliberate. “When a snapshot of the community is taken via the Census, we also take a snapshot of the church,” she told The Daily Declaration.

No Guarantee of a Ninth Survey

Powell noted that the survey may or may not continue beyond 2026. There is “no guarantee there will be another National Church Life Survey,” she said. “Good engagement in 2026 will inform future decisions,” she added, noting that “this decision has to be made in consultation with denominational leaders each time.”

Powell said she was not aware of any major denomination sitting out this year’s cycle, though some groups are prioritising other commitments first. She pointed to the Australian Christian Churches (ACC) network, which is currently focused on its own annual church census. ACC congregations will later be encouraged to take part in the NCLS.

A separate survey will now cover leaders of churches planted since 2011. It’s  an addition Powell said comes in response to a recent church planting push across Australia, and will provide insights into the experiences of pioneering church leaders.

The 2026 survey runs through October, with individual church results delivered to participating churches from November 2026 to March 2027.

The Daily Declaration encourages readers to ask their pastor or church leaders whether their congregation has signed up. Churches that haven’t can register directly at the NCLS website.

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