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TITLE: Where Do We Stand? (Part 1 of 2)

TEXT: Acts 19:20 – So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.

Acts 12:24 – But the word of God grew and multiplied.

PROPOSITION: Statistics will help us understand what we are doing right and where we need to improve.

QUESTION: What?

KEY WORD: Statistics

Introduction:

  1. Most denominations have a headquarters that gather and analyize data.

  2. Churches of Christ are independent, autonomous congregations.

  3. Statistics are more difficult to collect.

  4. For many years Flavil Yeakley, Jr. has done an excellent job in this area.

  5. He recently gave his latest survey information in a lecture at Freed Hardeman University.

Does Religion Matter?

  1. 28% of American adults left the faith of their childhood for another faith.

  2. 22% of Americans NEVER go to church. In 2004 it was 17%.

  3. Churches, generally, are losing membership.

How do Religions Compare?

  1. Those known as “Christian” religions – 78.4%

    1. Protestant – 51.3%

    2. Catholic – 23.9%

    3. Cults – Mormon, JW's, etc. - 2.4%

  2. Other (non-Christian) religions

    1. Jewish – 1.7%

    2. Buddhist – 0.7%

    3. Muslim – 0.6%

    4. Hindu – 0.4%

    5. Atheist – 1.6%

    6. Nothing – 12.1%

Christians in the USA

  1. 250 “Christian” groups in the US

  2. 14 are 1 million members or more

  3. Churches of Christ are #12 on that list

  4. 30 are over 100K and less than 1 million

  5. 206 are less than 100K

Terms

  1. Adherents – members, children, non-member spouses

  2. Members – those recognized as official members, baptized, allowed to participate

  3. Attendance – average of all who are present at a worship service

Some Stats about where we stand

  1. Adherents in 2000 – 1,645,584 = 12th place

  2. Number of congregations in 2000 – 13,027 = 4th place

  3. Members in 2000 – 1,264,808 =12th place

  4. Counties where present – 2,429 = 5th place

  5. Attendance as a percentage of membership – 99.3% = 1st place

Are We Dead Yet?

  1. Some are preaching – doom and gloom - “We are dead but don't know it yet.”

  2. We are not growing as much as we could, should, and have in the past.

  3. BUT -

    1. Some churches have less than 50% of members who attend

    2. Members who attend 1 time a week – Catholic 45%; Methodist 44%; Baptist 60%; Episcopal 32%; Presbyterian 44%

    3. Churches of Christ - 1st place with 68% attend 1 time a week

Growth / Decline in Adherents – 1980 – 2000

  1. Keep in mind – some count all born – at birth as members

  2. Some believe in “once saved, always saved” and keep all they convert – even if they leave

  3. Churches of Christ grew – 45,407

  4. Methodists – LOST – 1,201,482

  5. Presbyterian – LOST – 871,269

  6. Episcopal – LOST – 508,641

Summary – We Are:

  1. 12th largest in members, and adherents

  2. 4th in number of congregations

  3. 5th in counties with a congregation

  4. Churches of Christ should be well positioned to take the gospel to all parts of the US.

  5. We are already there!

 

NOTE: Next Sunday PM – Divisions, Young People (keeping or losing)?

Information was gathered from Power Point and PDF files from Mike Baker.



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