When it comes to congregations, is bigger always better? On the American scene, megachurches — often popping up right along the interstate, packing in thousands Sunday after Sunday, topped by a cross as big as all outdoors — have definitely attracted the public’s attention. And for some folks, they are wonderful places, with top—notch preaching […]

Many people think of small congregations in “gloom and doom” terms — not enough people, not enough money, not enough of anything. But the U.S. Congregational Life Survey revealed that small congregations have definite, measurable strengths, strengths that the people who worship there might not always recognize. Small congregations, in this survey, are defined as […]

It’s what leaders of congregations yearn for: to build a congregation that’s thriving and growing. They work hard to offer the best they can. Then the question becomes: how to get more people to give it a chance? But understanding the numerical growth of congregations is tricky — congregations don’t always grow for the reasons […]

The reasons aren’t always clear, but the numbers definitely show a pattern: conservative Protestant congregations and churches in historically-black denominations often show more strength than do mainline Protestant or Catholic congregations. ( Congregations can be placed in one of five categories: Catholic parishes, mainline Protestant denominations (e.g., Methodists, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Disciples of Christ), conservative Protestant […]

For many congregations, it’s like the holy grail — What should we do about the sea of gray heads at worship? How can we get more young people involved? The U.S. Congregational Life Survey has found that the average congregation has a median age of 52 — meaning that half the worshipers are above that […]

So your congregation has it figured out: “This is who we are, this is what matters to us.” But here’s the next question: Where should we go from here? Knowing that — having a clear vision for the future and a sense of how to make it happen — is definitely a congregational strength. But […]

In some congregations, everyone knows who’s the boss: maybe it’s the pastor, who has to approve everything; or the director of music, whose favorite hymns are drilled into everyone’s brain; or the person with access to the kitchen and the coffee pot. But congregations that are successful have figured out ways to empower leaders — […]

Most people think their congregation is warm and friendly, but perception and reality don’t always match. The average congregation in the U.S. Congregational Life Survey scored only 36 percent on the “Having a Sense of Belonging” index, which means that lots of folks who attend congregations don’t feel very much a part of things. Congregations […]

People involved in congregations are definitely people who, more often than not, are involved in their communities as well. The U.S. Congregational Life Survey found that people who go to worship, give financially, give their time and energy and intellect to try to make their towns and world a better place. Some who are involved […]

For many adults who’ve drifted away from organized religion, or who never had much of a bond to begin with, what brings them back is becoming parents. They look into the faces of their babies, their children ask questions about God and how the world works, and they want their children to grow up as […]