EMERGING TRENDS IN CONGREGATIONS

If you are curious about what other churches are doing, this week’s newsletter is for you! The National Congregations Study tracks important metrics over time so that trends can be measured.

• Today, I will share six interesting findings with you within the context of church renewal.

Six recent church trends worth considering

Trend 1. Multi-site church is on the rise

• The survey found that one in ten churchgoers (11 percent) attend a multi-site church. That number rose dramatically from even ten years prior. Planting a church from scratch is still done, but more and more churches are finding success by opening a second site that builds off their existing momentum, program strength, strategy, and staff.
• Multi-site works for a reason, and it may be worth considering if the Lord brings your church significant growth. Conversely, if your church’s future is not sustainable, it may be the time to explore becoming a campus of a multi-site church.

Trend 2. Lean Staffing is the Norm

• The average number of full-time paid staff is 1.8, which has remained steady for two decades (median is just 1.0). Part-time staff is similarly slim (average of 2.5 and median of 1.0). Church budgets are tighter than ever, as we face the crunch of inflation from both ends — staffing is more expensive and giving is squeezed out of many people’s household budgets.
• For church renewal leaders, creativity provides the path forward. Using freelance workers or even virtual assistants is an option. Utilizing lay volunteers in leadership roles is more critical than ever.

Trend 3. The Church Is Aging

• Four in ten active church members are now above 60 years old. The average church attendance including children has dropped from 80 to 70 over two decades. But the average attendance counting adults only has remained steady at 50. Where have the children gone?
• The implication is clear: We are not passing down the faith to our children well, and we are not reaching young families well. As the church continues to age, an attendance and budget crisis looms if we do not correct course.

Trend 4. Clergy are Aging

• The median age of lead pastors has increased from 49 to 57 over two decades. The percentage of people who attend a congregation with a lead pastor younger than 50 has decreased from 43 percent to 28 percent during that time.
• With age comes wisdom and experience, and we should not look at those benefits lightly. But if the rest of the staff is also older, it may be difficult to understand and reach young people. Innovation and energy may be more difficult as well.

Trend 5. The Church is both big and small

• The median church has 70 participants, but the average church has 360 participants. If you are good with statistics, you probably understand how both can simultaneously be true.
• Today, the largest 9 percent of churches contain about 50 percent of the churchgoers. This means most congregations are small, but most people attend large congregations. It also means the vast majority of clergy will end up working for small churches and most churches will end up working with a budget of $100,000 or less.

Trend 6. Contemporary Worship is on the Rise

• The number of congregations using an organ in worship and printing bulletins fell over the past two decades. The number using drums and video projection rose dramatically. The median length of worship gatherings now stands at 80 minutes, which has risen by 5 minutes over the past two decades.
• The report says churches are seeing more expressivity and informality in worship. Tradition is important, but so is being contextually sensitive to the people we are trying to reach. It is increasingly critical to see ourselves as missionaries to our own culture by communicating and ministering in relevant ways.