- On any given Sunday, the average American church has 108 people. In 2001, that figure was 130.
- Over a fourth of American congregations have less than 50 per Sunday.
- Only 14 percent of churches are in excellent financial health. A decade ago that figure was 31 percent.
- Two-thirds of American congregations experienced significant conflict in the past year.
- In the “Oldline Protestant” churches, only 10 percent of the members are young adults.
These are the findings of a ten-year study just released by Hartford Seminary in its report entitled “A Decade of Change.” In one way these statistics are discouraging. In another way, they make me thankful to be attending a church that is bucking those trends by God’s good grace. Our nation is growing more secular by the hour, and maintaining healthy growing churches is rowing against the current. But God is still on His throne, His church is growing around the world in unprecedented ways, and we have a great work to do. I’m more committed than ever. I hope you are too.