USA, October 3, 2011 (Religion News Service): Attendance in American churches has dropped in the last decade and their membership has aged, despite an increase in minority congregations, according to a new Hartford Seminary study covering thousands of Christian, Jewish and Muslim congregations in 2000 and again in 2010.
The median worship attendance at a typical congregation decreased from 130 to 108. Only 51 percent had average weekend worship attendance over 100, compared with 58 percent in 2000; over 25 percent had 50 or fewer people attending in 2010. This decreased attendance is seen across the board--among white evangelical, white mainline and racial/ethnic congregations. The number of megachurches almost doubled over the decade, but congregations with 2,000 or more weekly attendees make up just 0.5 percent of all congregations.
Their growth is not enough to offset the general downward trend. Many congregations are aging. In most mainline Protestant congregations, at least one-third of members are 65 or older.
Non-Christian and evangelical Protestant congregations tend to have younger members. Political involvement rose from 20 percent to 26 percent in evangelical Protestant churches, especially the larger ones: in non-black, evangelical Protestant congregations with more than 450 weekly attendees, 50 percent are involved in election-related programs. Black congregations' involvement in voter registration and education programs remained high, at 55 percent. On the other hand, mainline Protestant congregations' political involvement dropped from 16 percent to 12 percent.
The median worship attendance at a typical congregation decreased from 130 to 108. Only 51 percent had average weekend worship attendance over 100, compared with 58 percent in 2000; over 25 percent had 50 or fewer people attending in 2010. This decreased attendance is seen across the board--among white evangelical, white mainline and racial/ethnic congregations. The number of megachurches almost doubled over the decade, but congregations with 2,000 or more weekly attendees make up just 0.5 percent of all congregations.
Their growth is not enough to offset the general downward trend. Many congregations are aging. In most mainline Protestant congregations, at least one-third of members are 65 or older.
Non-Christian and evangelical Protestant congregations tend to have younger members. Political involvement rose from 20 percent to 26 percent in evangelical Protestant churches, especially the larger ones: in non-black, evangelical Protestant congregations with more than 450 weekly attendees, 50 percent are involved in election-related programs. Black congregations' involvement in voter registration and education programs remained high, at 55 percent. On the other hand, mainline Protestant congregations' political involvement dropped from 16 percent to 12 percent.
Courtesy : Hinduism Today
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