Challenge and Opportunity for Predominantly White Churches
The demographic makeup of localities across the U.S. is rapidly diversifying. Some predominantly white congregations perceive this as a challenge or even a threat. But…
Browsing: Demographics
Articles
What to Watch in 2022
F. Douglas Powe Jr. and Ann A. Michel of the Lewis Center staff name some of the changes church leaders should keep top of mind…
What Might the 2020 Census Mean for Churches?
Lovett H. Weems Jr. highlights key findings in the 2020 U.S. Census Report of significance for churches including an aging overall population, the first-ever decline…
Understanding the Nones
What accounts for the rapid increase in the percentage of Americans who claim no religious preference? Ann Michel of the Lewis Center staff shares key…
The Challenging Climate for U.S. Congregations
The average congregation is getting smaller with a median size of around 60 attenders, reports Scott Thumma, director of the Hartford Institute for Religious Research.…
Reaching More Diverse People in Suburbs
Lovett H. Weems, Jr. shares recent findings indicating that mixed-race neighborhoods are becoming more common and enduring, even in the suburbs. Data suggest that Americans…
States with Higher Potential for Growth in 2018
Population growth is only one factor in whether churches grow, but it is a key factor. At the end of December, the U.S. Census Bureau…
Pay Attention to People Who Stay
Mobility has been an historic characteristic of people in the United States. Mobility, opportunity and adventure have tended to go together. There was the massive…
Religion Census Reveals Changing Trends
While about 80 percent of people in the U.S. identify themselves as Christians, just under half of those belong to a local congregation. This is one…
If Churches Can Change, They Can Grow
An exceptionally revealing report on church growth is now available from the Faith Communities Today research project. Drawing on extensive survey data, noted researcher C.…
Reaching More Diverse People
How effective is the United Methodist Church in reaching the increasingly diverse population of the United States? Recent research by the Lewis Center in cooperation…
Churches Face Changing Demographics
The American Community Survey provides an ongoing demographic portrait of the country and is the largest survey that the Census Bureau administers other than the…
Two Myths Relevant to Reaching Younger and More Diverse People
Each Sunday The Washington Post has a feature in the opinion section dealing with common myths about a particular topic. Noted demographer William H. Frey…
Changing Religious Traditions: Not New but Accelerating
The recently released report on shifting religious affiliations among Americans is receiving significant media attention. Prepared by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life,…
Demographics and Leadership
Lovett Weems offers the example of the Girl Scouts USA who understood that continued viability depends on adapting to changes in national demographics. A community…