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Church Trends

Once again, SBC membership down, but baptisms and attendance on the rise

By Filings on Wed, 05/06/26
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“Lifeway Research published a report on Tuesday about the Annual Church Profile (ACP) statistics, which found that SBC membership dropped by over 3% last year, going from approximately 12.72 million members in 2024 to approximately 12.33 million in 2025.” - CPost

Is the Age of the Megachurch Over?

By Filings on Mon, 05/04/26
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“Not dead yet, but megachurches have been tried and found wanting by most Americans.” - MinistryWatch

Growing number of churchgoers face doubts, Lifeway Research finds

By Filings on Wed, 04/08/26
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“Currently, 25 percent of U.S. Protestant churchgoers say that during difficult circumstances, they sometimes doubt God loves them and will provide for their lives. Almost 2 in 3 (64 percent) disagree, and 12 percent neither agree nor disagree.” - Baptist Press

Church Closures Eclipse Openings in the U.S.

By Filings on Wed, 01/14/26
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“In 2024, Lifeway Research estimates 3,800 new Protestant churches were started in the U.S., while 4,000 churches were closed. This is based on analysis of congregational information provided by 35 denominations or faith groups, representing 58% of all Protestant churches.” - Lifeway

Barna: State of the Church – Bible use resurges in U.S. with Millennial, Gen Z men in front

By Filings on Wed, 11/19/25
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“Millennials and Gen Z outpace the 12-point increase, with reading jumping 16 points among Millennials, half of whom now read Scripture weekly. Among Gen Z, the 49 percent who read Scripture at least weekly represents a 19-point climb.” - Baptist Press

Everything You Could Ever Want to Know About Membership and Attendance in the Presbyterian Church in America

By Filings on Tue, 11/18/25
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“The Presbyterian Church in America gets a gold star. They’ve got individual church-level data for most of their 1,700+ congregations. So, let me show you all the cool stuff I can do with data like this.” - Ryan Burge

New Research on Church Attendance: Decline of Women or the Rise of Men?

By Filings on Mon, 11/03/25
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“How will churches adapt to support the growing faith engagement of young men—and the growing disengagement of women, particularly single mothers?” - C.Leaders & Barna

At a Glance: The Strengths and Struggles of Today’s Pastors

By Filings on Wed, 10/29/25
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“Pastors ages 50+ score notably higher in overall flourishing (78) compared to their younger counterparts (74), with particularly pronounced differences in vocational satisfaction and well-being. Similarly, pastors of color report higher levels of faith flourishing and overall flourishing compared to their white colleagues.” - C.Leaders

Three Passe Assumptions of Tim Keller

By Filings on Wed, 10/15/25
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“De-Urbanization… For Keller, ministering in cities was ministering to the future. To plant churches in rural or suburban areas was a losing proposition. This is no longer the case.” - Juicy Ecumenism

Why Being Late to Church Matters

By Filings on Fri, 08/08/25
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“Greear’s observation about treating church like a ‘religious show’ hits at the heart of the issue…. When we consistently arrive late to our worship services, what message are we sending about the nature and importance of what we’re gathering to do?” - TGC

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