Of General Interest

This book is an intricate look at vitality and health in congregations. The authors believe that there are ten strengths key to vital congregations. [Read more]

A Field Guide to U.S. Congregations: Who's Going Where and Why, Second edition

An updated and expanded edition of A Field Guide to U.S. Congregations reflects new findings and includes updated statistics, tables, and cartoons, along with completely new chapters describing pastoral leaders and significant changes in congregational life between the 2001 and 2008 surveys. New Myth Traps and Fast Facts about congregational life are featured in each chapter. The Field Guide to U.S. Congregations is based on findings from Wave 2 (2008 and 2009) of the U.S. Congregational Life Survey, with comparisons to Wave 1 findings (2001). [Read more]

Evangelism and church growth

• Myths and Facts About Evangelism and Church Growth -- What have we learned from fast-growing churches that participated in the survey?
• Powerpoint presentation to accompany Myths and Facts About Evangelism and Church Growth
• Powerpoint presentation: Beyond the Ordinary: 10 Strengths of U.S. Congregations
• How Are Fast-growing Presbyterian Churches Different from Others?
• Like Mouse to Cheese: Luring New Worshipers
• Church Growth: Nine myths, no magic bullets -- Presbyterian Outlook (September 25, 2004)
• What growing churches do

Learn about worshipers

• Who worships in the United States? -- Key findings
  • How do you compare to other worshipers?
  • New people in U.S. congregations
  • Frequent attenders
  • First-time visitors
  • Congregational strengths
  • Congregational challenges

• A Field Guide to Presbyterian Congregations – updated with 2008 data!
  Conducted by the PC(USA) Research Services office, the U.S. Congregational Life Survey tallied responses from 40,000 worshipers in a national study of Presbyterian congregations. In the fall of 2008 and the spring of 2009 a random sample of 521 PC(USA) congregations participated in the U.S. Congregational Life Survey.  The survey was given in worship and included the responses of all worshipers age 15 and older. The new Field Guide compares these congregations and worshipers to a random sample of 523 PC(USA) congregations participated in 2001. A Field Guide to Presbyterian Congregations:  Who’s Going Where and Why (available through Presbyterian Distribution Services, order item 02056-10100) presents findings from the survey. The resource is a companion piece to A Field Guide to U.S. Congregations, previously released by Presbyterian Publishing Corporation).
  Download PDF, Order online or order by phone: (888) 728-7228 x2040
• How are Racial Ethnic Presbyterians Different from Others?
• Experiences in worship
• Community involvement
• How trusting are worshipers?
• Who are worshipers' friends?
• How do worshipers keep informed?
• Who Worships in ELCA Congregations? ELCA Research Office
• Who Worships in Southern Baptist Congregations? SBC Research Office
• Who Worships in United Methodist Congregations? UMC Research Office
• Who Worships in Church of the Nazarene Congregations? Nazarene Research Office
• Who Worships in Seventh-day Adventist Congregations? Creative Ministries

10 Strengths of U.S. Congregations

• What did we learn about congregations in the United States?
• Characteristics and programs
• Worship services
• Sermons

The U.S. Congregational Life Survey identified 10 key strengths that make congregations successful -- characteristics that can be found in any type of congregation, whether it’s growing or declining, large or small, rural or urban. [Read more].

• Read about strong Presbyterian congregations.
• View PowerPoint presentation on the 10 strengths of U.S. congregations.

Congregations that go Beyond the Ordinary excel in the following areas:

1. Growing Spiritually -- Beyond the Ordinary congregations help worshipers grow in their faith. [Read more]
2. Meaningful Worship -- Beyond the Ordinary congregations provide worship services that meet the needs of worshipers. [Read more]
3. Participating in the Congregation -- Beyond the Ordinary congregations are places where worshipers are involved in many of the activities of the congregation. [Coming soon]
4. Having a Sense of Belonging -- Beyond the Ordinary congregations provide people with a sense of fellowship with others. [Read more]
5. Caring for Young People -- Beyond the Ordinary congregations ensure that the children and youth in the congregation are nurtured in the faith. [Read more]
6. Focusing on the Community -- Beyond the Ordinary congregations reach out to and serve those outside their doors. [Read more]
7. Sharing Faith -- Beyond the Ordinary congregations help their worshipers feel comfortable sharing their faith with others. [Coming soon]
8. Welcoming New People -- Beyond the Ordinary congregations ensure that new people become part of their faith community. [Read more]
9. Empowering Leadership -- Beyond the Ordinary congregations help worshipers to share in the leadership of the congregation. [Read more]
10. Looking to the Future -- Beyond the Ordinary congregations focus on a positive future. [Read more]

Other things to know:

• What is the impact of your worshipers' average age?
• What impact does denomination or faith group have?
• What about growth?
• The strengths of small congregations
• Is bigger always better?

Places of Promise

Traditionally we think about context as location.  In this view:

• Community context determines who we were, what we are, and what our future holds.
• Congregations are passive—location has the upper hand!
• Leaders use contractual language about location—our location is a piece of real estate with a specific land value, appraised as a retail outlet might appraise a location.  It’s a commodity.

Instead—Think about context as place.  In this view:

• Location is God’s gift to us.  The congregation is in this place at this time for a reason—God’s reason.
• Congregations can achieve strength and effectiveness in their present location.
• Leaders use birthright language about location—God claimed this place for us; the place claims us as people of faith.  We have inherited this place from those who first worshiped here, and we have an obligation to use it wisely and care for it.

Discussion Questions:

1. How did our congregation come to be in this location? What is our birth story?  Why has God planted us here?
2. What significant things have happened in this location that continue to shape our ministry?
3. What do we believe are the strengths of our location?
4. How would we describe our theology of inheritance using birthright language?
5. What steps can we take to build on the strengths of our location?
6. Who is in our community that we can reach out to?

[Learn more]

Download leader guide for exploring the strengths of your congregation's location.

Read the book: Cynthia Woolever and Deborah Bruce, Places of Promise: Finding Strength in Your Congregation’s Location (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, January 2008).

Learn about congregational leaders

• A Snapshot of Associate Pastors
• What can we learn from the leaders who participated in the U.S. Congregational Life Survey? Pulpit and Pew Project, Duke University.
• God’s Potter’s:  Pastoral Leadership and the Shaping of Congregations – new book on leaders who participated in the U.S. Congregational Life Survey (by Jackson Carroll)
• Interview with Jackson Carroll