Why is the presbyterian church in decline

Most of that decline was from the churches that dissolved — typically because they grew too small and could not survive.

In , only seven congregations were dismissed to other denominations, compared to 24 in Essentially, the burst of congregations leaving for more conservative denominations in the early to mids, after the PC USA decided to permit the ordination of gays and lesbians with spouses or partners and to allow its ministers to perform same-gender marriages, has slowed to a relative few.

The number of new worshipping communities increased by 30, from in to in And the number of new church developments and fellowships rose a bit, from in to in But most Presbyterian churches remain small — with close to one in five having 25 members or less. From to , the number of baptisms dropped by 6, with 4, baptisms reported in , down from 10, the previous year and the number of youth professions of faith declined by 3, dropping from 9, in to 5, in The inability to have fellowship and personal interaction has had an impact.

Our church buildings, the places where we met together, have been closed for the most part. While there were eight more candidates for ministry rising from in to in , the number of ordinations of ministers dropped by 61 — from ministers ordained in to in The full statistical report can be found here. I thank the Presbyterian Outlook for being so candid and clear on its reporting of losses this year. Nor, where they do reside, are they necessarily focused upon justice or human rights issues any more than they are in the United States.

Herbert Nelson II said in the announcement that this switch to digital was partly in response to the decline in revenue the church has experienced. We find this to be more efficient and timelier, giving Presbyterian leaders the information they need in real time.

Additionally, PCUSA has openly considered no longer hosting its biennial General Assembly as a mass gathering due to financial woes and declining membership. Do you want award-winning journalism with a Christian worldview , delivered to your inbox?

Myanmar military shells Catholic cathedral for second time in 5 months This week in Christian history: Episcopal diocese breaks away, St. Follow Michael Gryboski on Twitter or Facebook. Free CP Newsletters Join over , others to get the top stories curated daily, plus special offers! This is a challenge for all Christian denominations. This is a new frontier for the church and will be the way all denominations will find some level of church growth in years to come.

We have to find ways to move beyond barriers of exclusion and do the work to serve Jesus Christ. The median presbytery has a membership of 5, people and the average presbytery consists of ministers, 53 churches and four candidates. Department: Stated Clerk , Statistics. Tags: membership , new worshipping communities , office of the general assembly , oga , stated clerk , statistics.