The Research Services Office of the Presbyterian Church (USA) just released the 2010 Survey of Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Congregations, which was part of the Faith Communities Today (FACT) 2010 study of 10,000 congregations from 100 Christian denominations and other faith groups in the United States. The data was provided by leaders of 706 PCUSA congregations. Among the statistics worth noting:
- The median worship attendance for all Sunday morning services is 70 people
- Congregations had a median total budget of $144,409 in 2009 (the median percentage of the total annual budget that was spent on staff salaries and benefits was 56%)
- Half or more of congregations contact visitors by mail (63%) or phone (48%) after they attend worship services or other activities. Fewer contact visitors by personal visit (34%) or e-mail (24%) or send visitors materials about the congregation (27%).
- The median percentage of regular congregational participants in each age group is as follows:
- Age 0 to 17: 10%
- Age 18 to 34: 7%
- Age 35 to 49: 15%
- Age 50 to 64: 20%
- Age 65 or older: 40%
So What?
These statistics provide a snapshot of a typical PCUSA congregation in 2010. Since the PCUSA remains one of the ten largest denominations in the United States it also serves to provide some insight into the typical experience within mainline Protestantism.
If you are in a mainline congregation, then compare your congregation to the median congregation described above:
- Is the typical worship attendance higher or lower than the median value? (Note: The median worship attendance at all churches in the USA is 75 according to the National Congregations Study.)
- Is the annual budget higher or lower?
- Are the age distributions similar, younger or older?
Regardless of your congregation’s denominational affiliation:
- How do you follow up with visitors? How quickly do you do so? How do you evaluate these efforts?
- What percentage of your annual budget is spent on staff salaries and benefits? What do you feel a healthy percentage for these costs should be? If you are currently overspending, how are you working to address this issue?