The changing religious landscape in the United States includes a decline in the total number of Protestant churches.
In 2024, Lifeway Research estimates 3,800 new Protestant churches were started in the U.S., while 4,000 churches were closed. This is based on analysis of congregational information provided by 35 denominations or faith groups, representing 58% of all Protestant churches.
“Some individual denominations release annual numbers related to church plants and church closures, but we are grateful many more were willing to contribute unpublished numbers to help us understand the bigger picture of Protestant churches today,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research.
“Given recent declines in Americans identifying as Christians, churches show a remarkable ability to remain open, even with fewer attendees on average.”
The 200-church gap between those closed and those opened represents a significant improvement over the 2019 numbers. In the most recent previous analysis, 1,500 more churches closed than opened. Five years ago, there were 4,500 closures compared to 3,000 openings. Ten years ago, however, Lifeway Research found more Protestant churches were planted (4,000) than closed (3,700) in 2014.
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“It’s hard to overstate the importance of church planting in the landscape of faith in America today,” said Ed Stetzer, dean of the Talbot School of Theology at Biola University and author of several books on church planting and church growth.
“Simply put, without church planting, every denomination that’s growing would be shrinking and every denomination that’s shrinking would be shrinking more. Church planting is the most significant engine for evangelistic growth that we have in the world today.”
Using the U.S. Religion Census 2020 estimate of approximately 293,000 Protestant congregations in the U.S., the 4,000 closures in 2024 represent almost 1.4% of all U.S. Protestant churches. Protestant congregations in the U.S., the 4,000 closures in 2024 represent slightly more than 1% of all U.S. Protestant churches.
Lifeway Research’s analysis of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), the nation’s largest Protestant denomination, found 1.4% of active Southern Baptist congregations disbanded or closed and 0.4% left or were disaffiliated between 2023 and 2024.
In 2024, 906 of the 49,380 active Southern Baptist congregations from the previous year were no longer part of the convention, including 715 that disbanded or closed and 188 that left or were disaffiliated. However, many new churches were planted, and some existing churches became affiliated with the SBC. So, the Southern Baptist Convention had just 183 fewer congregations in 2024 compared to 2023, according to the SBC’s most recent Annual Church Profile.
The number of Southern Baptist congregations peaked in 2017 and has declined each year since. However, the 715 that disbanded or closed in 2024 represent the smallest annual loss during the decline.
“The immediate impact of COVID appears to have passed. Denominations have discovered those that closed during quarantine and never reopened. However, the typical church in America has fewer attendees than it did 20 years ago. These assemblies are often weaker than prior generations. But at the same time, new churches are flourishing and a subset of churches are growing,” said McConnell.”
Existence expectations
Most pastors aren’t planning on their churches shutting down any time soon, but a few have concerns.
The vast majority of U.S. Protestant pastors don’t expect their church to be among those closing. A Lifeway Research study found 94% of pastors believe their churches will still exist in 10 years, 4% disagree and 2% aren’t sure.
Even among those who believe their churches have an extended future, some are concerned. Fewer than 4 in 5 (78%) strongly agree they expect their church to have at least another decade.
Smaller church pastors are most likely to be worried. Those leading churches with fewer than 50 in attendance are the least likely to agree their church will still exist in 10 years (88%) and most likely to disagree (8%).
“The typical American church has always been small. But the aging of church attendees and higher cost of living mean even a church with the same number of attendees may have fewer resources than a generation ago,” said McConnell. “However, those churches would say their power is not found in numbers or the strength of the attendees but in the God they serve.”
Church planting priorities
A recent Lifeway Research study found more than a third of U.S. Protestant churches have participated in helping to start new churches. But while 36% say they were involved in planting new churches, the levels of participation vary.
Around 2 in 5 of these churches have helped with training (42%) and coaching (38%) for church planters. Three in 10 (30%) have been involved with church planting assessments. Just 2% of all churches have accepted direct financial responsibility as the primary sponsor of a new church in the last three years.
Not only do new churches help offset the losses of churches that close, but newer congregations are statistically more likely to be growing than others.
Specifically within the Southern Baptist Convention, the only group of churches that demonstrated overall membership growth in the past five years is those founded in the last 25 years, according to Lifeway Research analysis. Those that began since 2000 grew by 12%. Membership among congregations founded between 1950 and 1999 (-11%), 1900 and 1949 (-13%) and before 1900 (-11%) all declined.
“While the American church landscape changes slowly, it is not standing still,” said McConnell. “The future of Protestant churches in America lies in reaching new people with the offer of salvation through Jesus Christ. Most growth in the U.S. happens in new communities. Church planting is vital to share the gospel in these new communities as well as communities in which the population is changing or previous churches have closed.”
This article originally appeared at Lifeway Research and has been reprinted with permission.
Aaron Earls is the senior writer at Lifeway Research.
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7 Responses
This just isn’t about the closure of churches. It’s also about the closure of institutions. This year will be the last for two ‘Trinity’ colleges in the Chicagoland area. The one (Including the seminary) in Deerfield and second in Palos Heights.
“Church planting” isn’t the only option – it certainly can be helpful, but church “revitalization” is a very significant and important option. That means perhaps changing some of the methods from the 1950s but keeping the same message. Churches need to be willing to make the method changes for the times and for their communities. This means that the older members of the church family allow and encourage the methodology changes needed to continue to minister and serve the younger church family – their children and grandchildren. Yet staying grounded on solid biblical truth.
The nature of the structure and management of a local church in the US is interesting. I presume nearly all are registered as 501c3 nonprofit institutions. Such institutions are theoretically, if not practically, bound by IRS or other regulatory strictures. So the local church on the one hand functions as a local body of believers, while it also has to function as a nonprofit organization with by-laws, charters, and constitutions.
Then, we have made “the ministry” a professional vocation, not unlike engineering or accounting, with the requisite degrees and what not. So, we offer full-time jobs with salaries and benefits, which is sensible, I suppose. In larger churches, they have multiple staff and pastors with all kinds of titles, just like any large for-profit corporation. On top of that, the local church has a facility to maintain, both interior and exterior, which is costly and requires constant diligence. Likewise, it might have one or more vans or buses.
Where does all the money come from to pay salaries, benefits, physical plant upkeep, possibly mortgage payments, etc.? It comes from the several dozen to several hundred constituents.
If those constituents don’t give enough or they leave that particular local church, then the well quickly runs dry. But, when they give, what exactly are they giving to? The dues at the local VFW and the local Lions Club pay for facilities upkeep and administrative costs, just like the tithes and offerings at the local church. There is a sense in which one might wonder what the difference is.
I wonder, for the average church, what percentage of the budget goes to real needs.
Fwiw, I’m very active in our local church, but the above are some things that I’ve been pondering.
Jason, all good points, and you are right to observe and question. Wondering myself what a home church would look like, if it required no money to operate? Would we still serve each other if we weren’t compensated?
Jason, you absolutely nailed it. What is the modern post Christian era church? I spent 35+ years devoutly attending weekly services, ushered, joined men’s prayer and bible study group at each church. In 2016 was attending a PCA Reformed congregation, was a member. Was 58 years then and began to question what exactly was “The Church” 1st century believers were severely persecuted and met in secret in homes. No large salaries were paid to the Apostles or their associates. “Tithing, sacrificial giving of money weekly on the gross not net wages do not seem to be mentioned in Acts, Romans, or any other epistle. Gifts, collections to be given to hurting saints were mentioned though. Because followers of “The Way” were thrown out of society not able to work in Roman -Jewish ruled public market places, as they refused to proclaim the emperor god publicly. Many saints were destitute and the body of Jesus Christ truly came to help them. Paul worked as a tentmaker. Every church i have attended places the pastor on a pedestal, lucrative salary, housing allowance, medical coverages. Many of the “pastors” preached 1x a week for 45 min, but were paid as a parishioner who works 40+ hours a week then is told to tithe and give on top of that. FOR WHAT ? I left and never looked back. Home churches must return.
As the chairman of our pastoral search committee, I appreciate your statistical article. There should be additional two factors impacting your numbers:1- Post Covid available pastors nationwide. During Covid around 40% of pastors across all faiths left ministries. Only 10% of those are entering seminary. Big gap. No pastors, generally no church, & 2-The positive & negative influence of the Internet. People got lazy watching from home during Covid & do not join the church body anymore resulting in apathy when it comes to supporting the church. in person. If the church closes, they don’t really care. They’ll just turn the channel. All of this factors in as well. JW~southern Oregon P,S. We’ve been looking for 3.5 yrs. for a Shepherd.
This is not necessarily a bad thing. I’ve attended services that would bore a person to death. There’s a reason why churches close.
Church plants are more successful than trying to revive a dozen attendees who haven’t wanted change in the last twenty years.
And concerning pastors, the good ones end up at growing churches. Funny how that works.