wfn.org | Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches reports decline in Catholic, Southern Baptist membership

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

NCC's 2009 Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches reports decline 
in Catholic, Southern Baptist membership
> See: how church members are counted.
New York, February 23, 2009 -- The 77th annual edition of the 
Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches, long a highly regarded 
chronicler of growth and financial trends of religious institutions, 
records a slight but startling decline in membership of the nation's 
largest Christian communions.
Membership in the Roman Catholic Church declined 0.59 percent and the 
Southern Baptist Convention declined 0.24 percent, according to the 
2009 edition of the Yearbook, edited by the National Council of 
Churches and published by Abingdon.
The figures indicate that the Catholic church lost 398,000 members 
since the appearance of the 2008 Yearbook. Southern Baptists lost 
nearly 40,000 members.
Both membership figures were compiled by the churches in 2007 and 
reported to the Yearbook in 2008. The 2009 Yearbook also includes an 
essay by the editor, the Rev. Dr. Eileen W. Lindner, on the various 
ways churches count their members.
Neither figure is earth-shattering given the size of the churches. 
Roman Catholics comprise the nation's largest church with a 
membership of 67,117,016, and Southern Baptists rank second in the 
nation at 16,266,920.
But this year's reported decline raises eyebrows because Catholic and 
Southern Baptist membership has grown dependably over the years. Now 
they join virtually every mainline church in reporting a membership decline.
According to the 2009 Yearbook, among the 25 largest churches in the 
U.S., four are growing: the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day 
Saints (up 1.63 percent to 5,873,408; the Assemblies of God (up 0.96 
percent to 2,863,265); Jehovah's Witnesses (up 2.12 percent to 
1,092,169); and the Church of God of Cleveland, Tenn. (up 2.04 
percent to 1,053,642).
There are no  clear-cut theological or sociological reasons for 
church growth or decline, says Editor Lindner. "Many churches are 
feeling the impact of the lifestyles of younger generations of 
church-goers -- the 'Gen X'ers' or "Millenials' in their 20s and 30s 
who attend and support local congregations but resist joining them."
But former Southern Baptist President Frank Page told the Associated 
Press that the decline in his denomination was troubling because of 
the Southern Baptist emphasis on  winning souls.
Page called on Southern Baptists to "recommit to a life of loving 
people and ministering to people without strings attached so people 
will be more open to hearing the Gospel message."
Lindner writes, "A slowing of the rate of growth of some churches and 
the decline of membership of others ought to be the focus of 
continued research and and thoughtful inquiry."
Churches listed in the Yearbook as experiencing the highest rate of 
membership loss are the United Church of Christ (down 6.01 percent), 
the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church (down 3.01 percent), the 
Presbyterian Church (USA) (down 2.79 percent), the Lutheran Church - 
Missouri Synod (down 1.44 percent) and the Evangelical Lutheran 
Church in America (down 1.35 percent),
American Baptist Churches USA, on the other hand, cut its previous 
decline rate of 1.82 percent in half, now reporting a decline of 0.94 percent.
Membership of the top 25 churches in the U.S. totals 146,663,972 -- 
down 0.49 percent from last year's total of 147,382,460.
The top 25 churches reported in the 2009 Yearbook are in order of size:

The Roman Catholic Church, 67,117,06 members, down 0.59 percent. (Ranked 1)

The Southern Baptist Convention, 16,266,920 members, down 0.24 
percent. (Ranked 2)
The United Methodist Church, 7,931,733 members, down 0.80 percent. (Ranked 3)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 5,873,408 members, 
up 1.63 percent .(Ranked 4)
The Church of God in Christ, 5,499,875 members, no change reported. (Ranked 5)

National Baptist Convention, U.S.A., Inc., 5,000,000 members, no 
change reported. (Ranked 6)
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, 4,709,956 members, down 1.35 
percent. (Ranked 7)
National Baptist Convention of America, Inc., 3,500,000 members, no 
change reported. (Ranked 8)
Presbyterian Church (USA), 2,941,412 members, down 2.79 percent (Ranked 9)

Assemblies of God, 2,863,265 members, up 0.96 percent. (Ranked 10)

African Methodist Episcopal Church, 2,500,000 members, no change 
reported. (Ranked 11)
National Missionary Baptist Convention of America, 2,500,000 members, 
no change reported. (Ranked 11)
Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc., 2,500,000 members, no 
change reported. (Ranked 11)
The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod (LCMS), 2,383,084 members, down 
1.44 percent. (Ranked 14)
The Episcopal Church, 2,116,749 members, down 1.76 percent. (Ranked 15)

Churches of Christ, 1,639,495 members, no change reported. (Ranked 16)

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, 1,500,000 members, no change 
reported. (Ranked 17)
Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Inc., 1,500,000 members, no 
change reported. (Ranked 17)
The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, 1,400,000 members, down 
3.01 percent. (Ranked 19)
American Baptist Churches in the USA, 1,358,351, down 0.94 percent. (Ranked 20)

Baptist Bible Fellowship International, 1,200,000, no change 
reported. (Ranked 21)
United Church of Christ, 1,145,281 members, down 6.01 percent. (Ranked 22)

Jehovah's Witnesses, 1,092,169 members, up 2.12 percent (Ranked 23)

Christian Churches and Churches of Christ, 1,071,616 members, no 
change reported. (Ranked 24)
Church of God (Cleveland, Tenn.), 1,053,642 members, up 2.04 percent. 
(Ranked 25)
NCC News contact:  Philip E. Jenks, 212-870-2228 (office), 
646-853-4212 (cell) , pjenks@ncccusa.org