Chapter Three - 2012 Stats - Size of Congregation in relationship to membership, worship, professions of faith

We often hear that most United Methodist churches are small membership churches. This sometimes leads people to believe that most United Methodists attend a small membership church. While it is true that about 48% of congregations have 100 members or less, only 10.8% of United Methodists belong to those congregations. Very small churches of between 5 and 50 members, represent about 24% of all churches and about 3% of United Methodists.

We also sometimes hear that our largest churches are growing at the fastest rate. Just as with small (and medium) churches, the reality is much more nuanced. While it is true that the group of congregations with membership over 5,000 increased in membership by 1.67% compared to a .91% decrease by the whole church, these very large churches also showed the highest percentage decrease in worship attendance of a –2.85% compared to –1.32% by the whole church. (One church in this group showed an extremely large drop, but even if it is removed the average decrease for churches over 5,000 is a larger decrease than the church as a whole.)

Below you will find breakdowns in a number of categories. I've pulled several things from these figures that I think are interesting and may call into question (or not) some of our commonly held perceptions about church size.

• The highest participation rate (worship attendance divided by membership) is churches between 5 and 50 members at 63.5%

• The lowest participation rate is churches of greater than 5,000 members at 29.7%

• The greatest percentage decrease in membership was among churches of 5 to 50 members at 3.43%

• The greatest percentage increase in membership was among churches of more than 5,000 members at 1.67%

• While no group showed an increase in worship attendance, the group with the smallest decline was churches with a membership of between 801 and 900, with a .08% decline. 

• The three groups with a decline in worship attendance of more than 2% were those with membership greater than 5000 at 2.85%, 101 to 200 members at 2.33%, and 2001 to 3000 members at 2.09%.

• As a combined group, churches with a membership of between 700 and 5000 paid over 90% of their apportionments. Churches with membership below 700 and above 5,000 paid less than 90% of their apportionments.

• In nearly every sized group, the percentage of professions of faith mirrors or nearly mirrors the percentage of United Methodists. (Churches from 5 to 50 have 3% of the United Methodists and 3% of the professions of faith, churches with more than 5,000 members have 4.6% of United Methodists and 4.6% of professions of faith.)

Here is the more detailed breakdown

Churches in size from 5 to 50

  • 24% of congregations

  • 3% of United Methodists

  • 5% of worshippers

  • 3.43% decrease in members

  • 1.32% decrease in worship attendance

  • 80.7% apportionment payment

  • 3% of professions of faith

  • 63.5% participation ratio

Churches in size from 51 to 100

  • 24% of congregations

  • 8% of United Methodists

  • 9% of worshippers

  • 1.99% decrease in members

  • 1.83% decrease in worship attendance

  • 82.5% apportionment payment

  • 8% of professions of faith

  • 49.4% participation ratio

Churches in size from 101 to 200

   • 23% of congregations

   • 14% of United Methodists

   • 15% of worshippers

   • 1.51% decrease in members

   • 2.33% decrease in worship attendance

   • 83% apportionment payment

   • 15% of professions of faith

   • 43.7% participation ratio

Churches in size from 201 to 300

   • 10% of churches

   • 11% of United Methodists

   • 11% of worshippers

   • 1.41% decrease in members

   • 1.82% decrease in worship attendance

   • 80.6% apportionment payment

   • 11% of professions of faith

   • 40.85% participation ratio

Churches in size from 301 to 400

  • 6% of churches

  • 9% of United Methodists

  • 8.5% of worshippers

  • 1.38% decrease in members

  • 1% decrease in worship

  • 85.1% apportionment payment

  • 8% of professions of faith

  • 39.56% participation ratio

Churches in size from 401 to 500

  • 4% of churches

  • 7% of United Methodists

  • 7% of worshippers

  • 1.03% decrease in members

  • .61% decrease in worship attendance

  • 86.51% apportionment payment

  • 7% of professions of faith

  • 39.33% participation ratio

Churches in size from 501 to 600

  • 2% of churches

  • 5.5% of United Methodists

  • 5.5% of worshippers

  • .59% decrease in members

  • .53% decrease in worship attendance

  • 89.46% apportionment payment

  • 5.5% of professions of faith

  • 40.06% participation ratio

Churches in size from 601 to 700

  • 1.6% of churches

  • 4.6% of United Methodists

  • 4.3% of worshippers

  • 1.02% decrease in members

  • .99% decrease in worship attendance

  • 88.68% apportionment payment

  • 4.4% of professions of faith

  • 37.33% participation ratio

Churches in size from 701 to 800

  • 1% of churches

  • 3.5% of United Methodists

  • 3.4% of worshippers

  • .77% decrease in members

  • .82% decrease in worship attendance

  • 91.29% apportionment payment

  • 3.2% of professions of faith

  • 39.42% participation ratio

Churches in size from 801 to 900

  • .88% of churches

  • 3.3% of United Methodists

  • 3.1% of worshippers

  • .65% decrease in members

  • .08% decrease in worship attendance

  • 90.21% apportionment payment

  • 3.2% of professions of faith

  • 38.31% participation ratio

Churches in size from 901 to 1000

  • .64% of churches

  • 2.6% of United Methodists

  • 2.6% of worshippers

  • .92% decrease in members

  • .36% decrease in worship attendance

  • 94.55% apportionment payment

  • 2.6% of professions of faith

  •  39.05% participation ratio

Churches in size from 1001 to 1500

  • 1.7% of churches

  • 8.9% of United Methodists

  • 8.2% of worshippers

  • .68% decrease in members

  • .55% decrease in worship attendance

  • 92.44% apportionment payment

  • 8.7% of professions of faith

  • 36.99% participation ratio

Churches in size from 1501 to 2000

  • .68% of churches

  • 5.2% of United Methodists

  • 4.7% of worshippers

  • .26% increase in membership

  • .32% decrease in worship attendance

  • 93.57% apportionment payment

  • 5.3% of professions of faith

  • 36.28% participation ratio

Churches in size from 2001 to 3000

  •.54% of churches

  • 5.7% of United Methodists

  • 4.8% of worshippers

  • .38% increase in membership

  • 2.09% decrease in worship attendance

  • 95.58% apportionment payment

  • 6.8% of professions of faith

  • 34.09% participation ratio

Churches in size from 3001 to 5000

  • .25% of churches

  • 4.3% of United Methodists

  • 3.3% of worshippers

  • .46% increase in membership

  • .58% decrease in worship attendance

  • 93.2% apportionment payment

  • 4% of professions of faith

  • 31.14% participation ratio

Churches with more than 5000 members

  • .14% of churches

  • 4.6% of United Methodists

  • 3.4% of worshippers

  • 1.67% increase in membership

  • 2.85% decrease in worship attendance

  • 89.98% apportionment payment

  • 4.6% of professions of faith

  • 29.68% participation ratio

The statistical data included herein were provided at no charge by the General Council on Finance and Administration of The United Methodist Church (GCFA) and may be obtained directly from GCFA, PO Box 340020, Nashville, TN 37203-0029. This data is proprietary and is owned by GCFA and may not be used in any commercial or exploitative way, to make a financial profit, or in a manner that defames the United Methodist denomination or its agencies or organizations. GCFA does not endorse any particular use of the data or accept responsibility for its interpretation or analysis by another.

Chapter Two - 2012 Statistics - Multiple Markers of Vitality

Today's issue looks at churches that reported multiple markers of vitality. I queried all churches of at least five members that had an increase in worship attendance; at least one profession of faith; children, youth, young adults, and other adults in Christian formation; at least five people in covenant groups; at least ten VBS participants; at least one community outreach ministry; sent at least one person on a mission team; and paid 100% or more of apportionments. 

There were 926 congregations that fell into this category, representing 2.9% of congregations and 11% of membership. Two years ago I did a similar sort on the 2010 statistics and there were 793 churches, comprising 2.4% of congregations and 10% of membership.

These 926 churches ranged in average worship attendance from 25 to 5717.

The median average worship attendance was 247. (Half the churches had an average attendance less than 257 and half more.)

The mean for worship attendance was 368. (Total worship attendance divided by number of churches.)

These churches combined for an increase in membership of .92% and an increase in worship attendance of 6.49%

Combined, these churches accounted for 

• 14.3% of the total number of people in confirmation classes
• 13.6% of the total number of professions of faith
• 22% of the total number of people in covenant groups
• 12.3% of the total number of people in Vacation Bible School
• 9.3% of all Sunday School Classes
• 15.9% of all short-term classes
• 16.9% of all those served by outreach ministries
• 15.3% of all those in Christian Formation

Geographically these churches represented

• 51 Churches in the Western Jurisdiction (3.4% of churches in the jurisdiction)
• 342 Churches in the Southeastern Jurisdiction (3.0% of churches in the jurisdiction)
• 160 Churches in the North Central Jurisdiction (2.3% of churches in the jurisdiction)
• 144 Churches in the Northeastern Jurisdiction (2.1% of churches in the jurisdiction)
• 229 Churches in the South Central Jurisdiction (4% of the churches in the jurisdiction)

In guessing by name, about 21% of the congregations were served by a lead pastor who was a woman.

If you are interested in the statistics from the 2010 group, you can see it at: http://spreadsheetstories.blogspot.com/2012/06/chapter-three.html

The statistical data included herein were provided at no charge by the General Council on Finance and Administration of The United Methodist Church (GCFA) and may be obtained directly from GCFA, PO Box 340020, Nashville, TN 37203-0029. This data is proprietary and is owned by GCFA and may not be used in any commercial or exploitative way, to make a financial profit, or in a manner that defames the United Methodist denomination or its agencies or organizations. GCFA does not endorse any particular use of the data or accept responsibility for its interpretation or analysis by another.

Chapter One - 2012 Statistics - Ethnicity, Gender, Membership, Christian Education

This blog is an extension of occasional e-mail memos that I send out related to congregational statistics reported by United Methodist congregations in 2012.  I hope these provide food for thought and grist for conversation.

The following statistics are based on a composite of churches with at least five members. (32,440 congregations)

Ethnicity

African American – 6%

Asian American – 1.25%

Hispanic American – 1%

Native American –  .3%

Euro American –  89.9%

Pacific Islander – .18%

Multi Racial – .68%

Gender

Men – 42.5%

Women – 57.5%

Membership

Membership – 7,392,253

Average Worship Attendance – 2,966,025

Change in membership from 2011 to 2012– (-68,153 or -.91%)

Change in worship attendance from 2011 to 2012– (-39,718 or –1.32%)

Number of people baptized : 97,102  (A decrease of .9% from 2011)

Number of professions of faith: 124,598 (An increase of .5% from 2011)

Number of people received from other denominations: 50,023 (A decrease of 1.5% from 2011)

Number of people who transferred to another denomination: 24,862 (A decrease of 4% from 2011)

Number of deaths: 97,042 (A decrease of 1% from 2011)

Number removed by charge conference: 94,239 (An increase of 1.7% from 2011)

Christian Education

Number of Sunday School classes: 138,658  (A decrease of 3.4% from 2011)

Number in Christian Formation: 2,915,136 (An increase of 2.1% from 2011)

Children in Christian Formation: 786,764 (An increase of 1.7% from 2011)

Youth in Christian Formation: 440,187 (An increase of .13% from 2011)

Young Adults in Christian Formation: 195,081 (A decrease of .5% from 2011)

Other Adults in Christian Formation: 1,493,104 (An increase of 3.3% from 2011)

Vacation Bible School" 1,141,480 (A decrease of .65% from 2011)

The statistical data included herein were provided at no charge by the General Council on Finance and Administration of The United Methodist Church (GCFA) and may be obtained directly from GCFA, PO Box 340020, Nashville, TN 37203-0029. This data is proprietary and is owned by GCFA and may not be used in any commercial or exploitative way, to make a financial profit, or in a manner that defames the United Methodist denomination or its agencies or organizations. GCFA does not endorse any particular use of the data or accept responsibility for its interpretation or analysis by another.