{"id":79203,"date":"2019-03-10T17:00:09","date_gmt":"2019-03-10T21:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kendallharmon.net\/?p=79203"},"modified":"2019-03-10T15:27:16","modified_gmt":"2019-03-10T19:27:16","slug":"ct-the-church-growth-gap-the-big-get-bigger-while-the-small-get-smaller","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kendallharmon.net\/?p=79203","title":{"rendered":"(CT) The Church Growth Gap: The Big Get Bigger While the Small Get Smaller"},"content":{"rendered":"

A new study from Exponential by LifeWay Research found 6 in 10 Protestant churches are plateaued or declining in attendance and more than half saw fewer than 10 people become new Christians in the past 12 months.<\/p>\n

\u201cGrowth is not absent from American churches,\u201d said Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research. \u201cBut rapid growth through conversions is uncommon.\u201d<\/p>\n

The research gives a clear picture of the state of Protestant churches in America today. Most have fewer than 100 people attending services each Sunday (57%), including 21 percent who average fewer than 50. Around 1 in 10 churches (11%) average 250 or more for their worship services.<\/p>\n

Three in five (61%) pastors say their churches faced a decline in worship attendance or growth of 5 percent or less in the last three years. Almost half (46%) say their giving decreased or stayed the same from 2017 to 2018.<\/p>\n

Read it all<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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The state of Protestant churches in America today:<\/p>\n

Most have fewer than 100 people attending services each Sunday (57%), including 21 percent who average fewer than 50<\/p>\n

Around 1 in 10 churches (11%) average 250 or more for their worship serviceshttps:\/\/t.co\/awgk1LTJBe<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Christianity Today (@CTmagazine) March 9, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n