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Worship, Websites, Conflict Affect Growth in Congregations

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mwkruse
in

I linked an article on Wednesday from the Christian Science Monitor called From US churches that are growing, a sound of drums that generated some discussion. Yesterday, Denis Hanock (Reformed Angler) did some surfing and found the report on which the article was based called Worship, Websites, Conflict Affect Growth in Congregations. It was published a month ago by the Hartford Institute for Religion Research. Here are eight findings about growing churches listed in the report:

  • Congregations that change worship format and style are more likely to grow. More than half the congregations that use contemporary styles of worship have experienced substantial growth since 2000. Frequency is important as well: The more worship services a congregation holds, the more likely it is to have grown.
  • Congregations located in new suburbs are more likely to experience growth. But surprisingly the second best area for growth is the downtown of metropolitan areas.
  • Congregations that have experienced major conflict are quite likely to have declined in attendance. The strongest correlate of growth is the absence of serious conflict.
  • Congregations that have started or maintained a website in the past year are most likely to grow. The effort to have a website indicates that the congregation is outward looking and willing to change by non-traditional means.
  • While most congregations in America are composed of a single racial/ethnic group, those that are multi-racial are most likely to have experienced strong growth in worship attendance.
  • More important than theological orientation is the religious character of the congregation and clarity of mission and purpose. Growing churches are clear about why they exist and about what they are to be doing – “purpose-driven growth.”
  • Congregations that involve children in worship are more likely to experience significant growth. Also, important to growth is the ability of congregations to attract young adults and children with families.
  • Almost all congregations say they want to grow, but it takes intentionality and action for growth to occur. Congregations that developed a plan to recruit members in the last year were more likely to grow than congregations that had not. Particularly helpful in achieving growth are sponsorship of a program or event to attract non-members or the existence of support groups.

Comments

4 responses to “Worship, Websites, Conflict Affect Growth in Congregations”

  1. Quotidian Grace Avatar
    Quotidian Grace

    Very interesting article. I like it because it confirms a lot of what I already thought about church growth.
    Being a dinosaur myself, I have to have a church that offers a traditional service in addition to a contemporary one–but I’m supportive of different styles of worship.

    Reply
  2. Beyond Words Avatar
    Beyond Words

    Interesting article. I’m not impressed by numbers out of context. Does church growth have any correlation to growth in the numbers of new Christians and new disciples? Or is it just the shifting of people from traditional denominations, or indicative of lapsed churchgoers who find themselves in a season of life where religion is becoming important?
    Does growth mean depth? Are the people representing the numbers growing spiritually?

    Reply
  3. Michael Kruse Avatar
    Michael Kruse

    QG, I had a similar response too. Most of these are things I have sensed about growing churches as well. The article said “…religious character of the congregation and clarity of mission and purpose” were important and I think this is probably at the bedrock. I know it is probably the most “clarity of mission and purpose” and broad ownership of these two are at the core of every successful business.
    As to worship services, as I have gotten older, Sunday worship has become less and less central to me. In my younger days it was much more important and had to be just a certain way or I didn’t like it. In more recent years, my understanding of worship has expanded and considerably. The worship I do in daily life and in smaller communities with others have taken on higher significance. Corporate worship is still essential but becasue it is no longer the “end game” I find I can at least tolerate, if not actually enjoy a wider variety of worship services.
    I worshiped briefly at a church that was half Anglo and half African-American. They called the service “Afriacn-American Lite.” It was 1.5 hours long, the music had lots of energy, and every service seemed somehow to include and number of people from small children to the elderly. Those were my favorite worship experiences.

    Reply
  4. Michael Kruse Avatar
    Michael Kruse

    BW
    “Or is it just the shifting of people from traditional denominations.”
    What I like to call a “sheep redistribution center.”
    I hear you! The Hartford Institute presented data and a book called “Beyond the Ordinary” at PCUSA General Assembly Council meeting in late 2004. It was study about churches that are growing. I had the opportunity to pull aside one of the researchers and ask if the had developed in measures to assess the degree of discipleship that was actually going on. I want to know if a growing church is bringing in people who were not previously Jesus followers, and I want to know if there is a deepening of discipleship among those who have put down roots. She readily acknowledged that they had not yet tried to operationalize those variables in their studies (a little social science lingo for ya).
    I think there are some tools to measure depth of connection to the mission and vision of a group, and depending on that mission and vision you can sometimes measure growth in that regard. Still, measuring this with a survey tool that does not include in-depth interviews and small group interviews seems is IMO opinion probably not possible. Still, it is a central roll of leadership to evaluate whether this growth is happening.
    Do you (or anyone else reading) have thoughts on to evaluate this?

    Reply

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