I deeply appreciate and have personally been involved in the life of the Mainline Protestant denomination known as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Given my prior involvement in this tradition, I strive to tell the whole story of how the denomination has arrived at its present state so that those involved can use this information as they plan for a brighter future. Mainline Decline Much has been written about Mainline decline in general, and about the decline of the Read More …
Trends
The PC(USA) is Missing 2.6 Million People! (#2055)
I have spent the majority of my life in the Mainline Protestant denomination known as the Presbyterian Church (USA). Since I've invested so much of myself in this tradition, I strive to tell the whole story of how the denomination has arrived at its present state so that those involved can use this information as they plan for a brighter future. Mainline Decline Much has been written about Mainline decline in general, and about the decline of the Presbyterian Church (USA) specifically. I Read More …
The UCC is Missing 1.3 Million People! (#2054)
I am part of the Mainline Protestant denomination known as the United Church of Christ. I believe that telling our story is a part of how we learn to better understand our present state and better plan for a brighter future. Mainline Decline Much has been written about Mainline decline in general, and about the decline of the United Church of Christ specifically. I am one of the writers who continues to contribute to this growing body of literature. United Church of Christ Read More …
Too Many Ministers in the United Church of Christ? (#2053)
Are there too many clergy in the United Church of Christ? This question deserves real consideration in the context of decline in the United Church of Christ and in Mainline Protestantism more broadly. Thankfully, I've written about Mainline decline for the last fourteen years with a focus on the traditions I know best: United Church of Christ and Presbyterian Church (USA). A few examples of Mainline decline more generally are followed by analysis of the decline in the UCC and Read More …
End of Presbyterianism: Farewell PC(USA)? (#2048)
Ryan Burge's tweets on May 9, 2023, about the decline in membership in the Presbyterian Church (USA), including his suggestion the denomination is less than 20 years away from dissolving, has generated numerous conversations across social media and beyond. The Story of Presbyterian Decline As someone who has spent more years in the Presbyterian Church (USA) than any other denomination, I've been aware of the denomination's decline for many years. And, I've written extensively about it here Read More …
Mainline Decline in the Dallas – Fort Worth Metro Area (#2038)
While I've written extensively about Mainline decline this is the first time I've considered what this decline looks like in my own geography. As someone who has lived all but about a decade of my life in the Dallas - Fort Worth area of Texas, I've long wondered what Mainline decline really looks like here in the area I call home. The exploration that follows offers a county by county look at the region's most populous counties before exploring Mainline decline for the area as a whole. Read More …
The Median Presbyterian (PCUSA) Congregation (#2029)
The narrative of Mainline Protestant decline is well established. Few people, however, understand how that decline has impacted the typical congregation in any given denomination. PC(USA) Decline The Presbyterian Church (USA) is the denomination I have been associated with longer than any other. In the past, I've shared extensively about the topic of PC(USA) membership decline, including PC(USA) Membership Declines by 62% (April 2022)PC(USA) Membership – 30 Years of Decline Read More …
PC(USA) Membership – 30 Years of Decline (#2026)
Mainline Protestantism has been in decline my entire lifetime. Since it is the tradition I know best and the one that has shaped and continues to shape my religious identity, I strive to understand these changes. The Presbyterian Church (USA) was created by a merger of the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. and the Presbyterian Church in the United States in June 1983. In one of my more popular blog posts - Presbyterian Decline: PCUSA -The First 35 Read More …
The Only Major Denomination That Keeps Growing (#2023)
Decline is the one word summary we all know summarizes the state of American Christianity, especially when focusing on membership numbers. It is true that the decline came earlier for Mainline Protestants, but also true they've been joined by Evangelicals. According to sociologist Ryan Burge, only one major Protestant denomination, "has seen consistently positive year over year growth over the last four decades." That denomination is the Assemblies of God. AoG on SWF The Assemblies of Read More …
Today We Grieve (#2005)
I've lived through too many difficult days. Some of the worst of these days are so traumatic and generate such a tremendous impact that they are marked by the widespread ability to the answer to the question, "Where were you when you heard the news?" Where were you when you heard the news of planes striking the towers on 9/11? Where were you when you learned that the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade? Initial Response I was shocked by my initial response. Looking back, I Read More …