Twenty Years of Congregational Change: The 2020 Faith Communities Today Overview

The early 20th century was marked by reform and expansion within the United States. This time in history is known as the Progessive Era in which the 20-year period focused on making America a better society and a safer place to live. Major growth in the automobile industry changed the American way of life (source). In the same way, the first 20 years of the 21st century have been marked by new kinds of reform and expansion. One of these new expansions is the accessibility of technology, which has changed the American way of life in a similar way that automobiles did 100 years ago. While we cannot predict the ways in which our next 100 years will expand and reform America, investigating the past 20 years offers insight into future trajectories.

Congregations also have experienced reform and expansion in the past 20 years. In October of this year, Faith Communities Today (FACT), a multireligious and collaborative research initiative, released a significant report (PDF download). Beginning in 2000, FACT has tracked trends in the U.S. religious landscape. Summarized responses from 15,278 congregations and 80 denominations or religious groups resulted in the largest national survey of congregations ever conducted in the U.S. The data snapshots pre- and early pandemic faith communities in America, affirming trends made evident over the past 20 years while also highlighting areas of change (p. 2).

What can we learn from their work? Prior to the pandemic, many congregations were already small and getting smaller; at the same time, the larger ones were gaining more attendees. The decline in two-thirds of congregations subsequently means one-third of congregations are growing. Faith Communities Today believes the health and vitality of religious communities matter significantly as personal commitments and identities are often insubstantial without a supportive religious community (p. 3). The trends and dynamics of America’s faith communities were captured as the pandemic began. While the long term and ongoing effects of the pandemic in church congregations are yet to be categorized in collected data, the trajectory of religious communities over the past 20 years necessitates understanding for the subtle adaptations to practices and routines of gathering congregations. The future of this new reality creates a time of challenge while also giving opportunities for revitalization among religious communities.

Congregations assessed their landscape among many variables – such as participating membership, income, and worship disposition – to convey the complex array of dynamics across American congregations. Portraying a large scope of congregational avenues, FACT points out a 13% increase in multiracial faith communities since 2000, stating:

This openness to diversity also manifests itself in communities having a greater percentage of immigrants, a larger percentage of individuals with special needs, fewer lifelong members of their particular faith tradition and a more diverse age, economic, and educational profile among their participants. (p. 21)

Additionally, among the resurgence of Christian Nationalism and the considerable adverse religious reaction to movements asserting racial justice and opposing structural racism, FACT starkly notes that the diversity of a religious community actually strengthens it. Diversity correlates to increased growth, spiritual vitality, a clearer sense of mission and purpose, and other attributes of a flourishing community (p. 21). Having a varied faith community not only represents the variety of American society in terms of race, age, economics, cultures, and abilities, but also contributes to vitality and flourishing within a faith community.

Another change in society over the past 20 years is the prevalent use of technology by individuals and religious communities. Congregations have been slow to adopt the tools associated with the internet, while the percentage had increased prior to the pandemic. The use of Facebook increased to approximately 92% of congregations and yet only 50% use the platform actively. The use of technology has also impacted congregations financially. Online giving has increased to over 50% in early 2020. This trend specifically proved helpful leading into the pandemic, as simply having online giving, regardless of emphasis, increased a congregation’s per capita giving by $300 per person annually (p. 23).

At least a third of religious communities are growing, and those who are growing are more likely to have several distinguishing characteristics: strong leadership that fits well with the participants, a clear and compelling mission, innovative and open to change, active in the local community, and having a worship service that is more vibrant and better at incorporating new people. Spiritually vital congregations have significant lay involvement through volunteering and financial commitments. Finally, growing congregations live out their faith commitments in everyday life while also telling others about their congregation (p. 27).

Innovation has been the norm within America’s history and now is no different, especially amid the pandemic. Revitalization with clear, purposeful, and faith-filled desires will outline the next 20 years as religious congregations navigate the ever-changing landscape of personal and faith practices. New paths and dynamic change will convey the ways in which powerful and life-changing faith communities will respond to the next era of society, not forgetting the past but studying it in preparation for moving into the future (p. 28-29). I encourage you to read the full report while looking ahead with the goal of equipping churches to have spiritually vital congregations in the years to come.