The decline of the Presbyterian Church (USA) accelerated in 2014 as total membership dropped below 1.7 million.
According to the Comparative Statistics released yesterday by the Office of the General Assembly, the denomination’s membership declined by 92,433 in 2014 to 1,667,767. That is a 5.54 percent decline from 2013’s total membership of 1,760,200. While this year’s decline was not the largest decline numerically, it was the largest decline statistically. In 2012, the PCUSA declined 5.26 percent. (Click here for chart showing PCUSA membership and losses 1960-2014.)
In the three years 2012-2014, the PCUSA’s membership declined by more than 15%. (view graphic at right.)
There has not been an increase in membership in the PCUSA since the reunion denomination was formed in 1983. The last recorded membership increase for the PCUSA’s two combined predecessor denominations – the Presbyterian Church in the U.S. (PCUS) and the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. (UPCUSA) – was in 1965.
The statistics reveal that the PCUSA dismissed 101 congregations to other denominations in 2014 and closed and dissolved 36 churches. However, the statistics also show that there are 209 fewer churches in 2014 – 9,829 – than there were in 2013 when there were 10,038 PCUSA churches. No churches joined the PCUSA in 2014.
Total contributions being put into the offering plate by Presbyterians across the nation also declined — by $109,891,829. In 2014, those contributions amounted to $1,738,915,711. In 2013, they were $1,848,807,540.
“Membership statistics and church numbers tell one story, but it’s not the entire message of how the PCUSA is impacting the world,” PCUSA Stated Clerk Gradye Parsons said in the article announcing the 2014 statistics. “God continues to breathe new life into our work and challenges us to find new, creative ways to touch and transform lives.”
Carmen Fowler LaBerge offered that “these numbers were expected. We talk daily to individuals and congregations that are leaving the PCUSA. The PCUSA is losing adherents. She is not doing the basic work of evangelism nor are her disciples making new disciples.”
She noted that the recent Presbyterian Mission Agency financial report and the Pew Research study released yesterday confirm the decline of the PCUSA.
LaBerge also identifies a question that arises from the stats. “There are some things that make curious, like the number of churches dismissed. I’m fairly certain that between the EPC and ECO more than 101 churches left the PCUSA in 2014. So there’s some lag or reporting error to be reconciled.”
Summaries of statistics – Comparative Summaries
2014 miscellaneous information about statistics
Related article: Presbyterians collapsing, or “Settling into the new thing God is creating”?,by Jeffrey Walton, Juicy Ecumenism
46 Comments. Leave new
Quick correction. Either the total giving numbers ($1.7 billion dollars to the PCUSA in 2014. . . I find hard to believe that’s the correct number). But it would be a decline of $109 million between 2013 and 2014, not $109,000.
If the PNS/PCUSA was called upon to write the story of the sinking of the Titanic it would go like this, “the average number of people in the lifeboat was in the middle of the range” of full capacity, and in a related story the ship sank”.
The numerical decline of the PCUSA can be related to two ongoing events happening at the same time. A classic theological schism, which happens every so often in Presbyterianism, and also a systemic, structural decline due to death, aging out of its members, managerial incompetence of its leadership, and simple apathy from its core remaining members.
Its gotten so bad that the liberal supporters and apologists of the PCUSA are simply numb, unresponsive to its demise. The grand bargain the middle management of the church, EPs, Stated Clerks, church based clergy have made with Louisville is this. We will let you run the denomination into the ground, bankrupt it, as long as you continue to provide us cover for our social justice agenda: abortion on demand, economic redistribution, sexual libertinism, and more or less universalism, a church with no Christ. That’s a winning hand there.
“PCUSA Stated Clerk Gradye Parsons said in the article announcing the 2014 statistics. “God continues to breathe new life into our work and challenges us to find new, creative ways to touch and transform lives.”
After spending 5 min laughing my tail off from reading this , the only thing I could think of is that louisville must have a open bar policy, and they think that we’re dumb enough to believe this crap.
Its interesting. This time last year, I predicted that we’d see the loss at around 100K. I’m not surprised at the 91K.
Or viewed in another way, the PCUSA lost 252 members a day, every day in calendar year 2014, according to their own reporting. It lost about 11 members every hour of 2014. It lost a member every 6 minutes of 2014. 24/7/365.
In the time it takes me to write this post and others today the PCUSA lost about 3 members. Drip, drip, drip.
The PCUSA takes in 1.5 plus BILLION dollars……where is all that money going? I could cry about how the mission of this denomination,
the financial resources, and the time given to this denomination is being squandered. My heart is broken when I see the brokenness of this denomination and the goals that are divided and wanting.
God is gracious, not wanting any to perish, but I wonder if the patience for the wayward decisions of the GA is seen in the continued downward spiral
of this denomination compared to it’s past faithfulness to making disciples and glorifying God. The spiritual decline only matches the financial decline.
It is a sad day thinking about the loss!
I mean God may be withdrawing His patience and the loss of people and resources are evidence of that.
The “miscellaneous information” link in this story has some interesting data. For example, Grace Presbytery reports a decline of just 768 members from 2013-2014. Yet Highland Park Presbyterian, membership over 4,000, purchased its freedom from Grace in 2014. Either Grace had gains of 3,000+ members to offset HPPC’s departure, or Grace is engaged in “creative accounting”. The latter seems more likely. And the odds are small that the one presbytery of which I have some knowledge is the only one over-reporting its numbers. As the denomination continues to decline, the motivation to exaggerate the numbers will only increase.
By the way, if the 2014 trend is continuing in 2015, there are now 33,680 fewer members than the number shown in the above table.
Hmmmmmmmmmm! That 1001 New Worshiping Communities initiative is making a significant impact on “growing” the PCUSA (plant tongue in cheek). Without it we might have lost well over 150K.
Pastor Gregory did not go the his current church until April of 2007. The big drop in membership in this congregation occurred between 2005 and 2006. Since Gregory has been pastor (2007-2013) the decrease in membership has been 13%. The PCUSA web site does not yet show the 2014 membership.
So current PCUSA membership stands at about half what it was the time of reunion in 1983. Granted, across the USA and the Western world church membership is declining and irreligion is growing, but it’s the “progressive” wing that is really taking it on the chin. Apparently the “traditionalists” are at least hold their own.
Shayne: Carmen numbers are correct. Click on Summaries of Statistics and you will see where her numbers come from.
Here’s why the number of churches reported “dismissed” by the PCUSA may be less than the number of churches reported “received” by the other denominations (ECO, EPC): Some congregations that went into EPC/ECO were never officially “dismissed” by their PCUSA presbytery. It may be that they walked away from their property and the presbytery took it over and officially “closed” the church. Or, more frequently, there may have been a minority in the congregation that wished to remain in the PCUSA. So the PCUSA presbytery recognized that minority as the continuing church, while treating the majority that departed as simply individuals who resigned their membership rather than as a church that was “dismissed.” So in both cases EPC/ECO would report that a church had been “received” while PCUSA would not report any church having been “dismissed.”
Other than the 5.54% net membership loss statistic, the other figures that seem most alarming to me are: 1) the net “gains” in membership for 2014 are down more than 10% from 2013, showing clearly that the PCUSA is failing (at even faster rates than in the past) to reach new members (from both outside the church, and from its own youth who’ve grown up in the denomination); 2) the number of candidates for ordination plummeted by almost 50% to 562 in 2014, after not having been under 1000 each year going back to beginning of this century (I could not get my hands on earlier statistics; the number of candidates for ordination reached 1437 in 2006) — I don’t know what could account for this anomaly other than candidates leaving the process voluntarily, most likely due to PCUSA policy decisions; 3) the numbers of infant baptisms and Christian education enrollment continue their steady slide, indicating that the PCUSA is failing to reach young families as well as to educate their young. None of these statistics bodes well for the future of the denomination.
Last year in his report, Gradye Parsons offered the sunny comment that since the total losses for 2012 were less than those of 2013, that means “We are meeting the challenges we have had and it’s showing….” For 2014, I guess we must conclude logically that the PCUSA is now failing to meet its challenges, and now THAT is showing.
On the PCUSA website, the article announcing the 2014 membership stats is entitled, “PC(USA) membership lies in medium-sized congregations.” As an aspiring editor, I would offer the following changes to the title: “PC(USA) membership lies to be found in stated clerk’s report.” All humor aside, the complete lack of engagement with the dire message of the annual numbers is in itself alarming.
I have to add death into these numbers. We were an older denomination at the reunion and have continued to age. I wonder how many of these were deaths compared to leaving PCUSA alive. I am not questioning the problems at all and the reality of the effects of the reunion. I am thinking necrology reports, the number of funerals, and the loss of service and giving that I have witnessed these years through death. Interesting to think about.
Mateen you have raised what I think are the key underlying points. What we’re seeing is a collapse. I did some digging and in 2005 there were 30,727 Infant Baptisms. A decade later that number is down to 17,027. A 45% drop! The adult baptisms are even worse. From 9,243 down to 4,634.
The PCUSA reported in 2001 the average age of its membership was 58 years old. In 2008 it was 60. In 2009 it was 61. In 2011 it was reported to be 63 years old. I can only guess that now it is older than 65. No surprise then than infant baptisms are falling.
I’d suspect that the reason the number of candidates are falling is the shrinking size of PCUSA congregations. The average size based on this years numbers is 170 members. Last year it was 175. However, last year the median size congregation was 87. I suspect the reason there are no candidates is that there are no jobs. Very small churches full of mostly retired folks just don’t have the resources to pay for a full time minister and maintain the physical property.
All this does is confirm why we need to have a complete over haul of louisville, where’s the money going? They are talking about cutting missions, but not the louisville staff, why do we need synods, get rid of them.
All this is about is about trying to keep afloat over sized bureaucracy, I mean louisville is spending alomost a million dollars to investigate a $300,000 mistake in the New Worshiping Communities scandal, this is gross mis management at the highest level. My guess is that the majority of the louisville sluggers could not make it in the private sector, so they’re playing church bosses.
After spending time looking at what some of the 1001 worshipping communities are offering by way of universalism, I wouldn’t put much hope in this initiative to turn things around in the PCUSA. Many of the 1001 communities are a poor example of worship and community life.
If you look at the stats for 2012, it shows only 4 “new” churches and 9 churches resulting from mergers. The mergers likely result when 2 churches are each in such decline that they combine resources. The stats for 2014 have new language of churches “organized”. Since it shows 13 for 2012, we can only assume that the new language includes new churches planted and ALSO church mergers. I would be interested in knowing how many churches were planted in 2014. I suspect it may be zero and that the “organized” language obscures that crucial but very sad statistic.
Sue, I’ve puzzled over the same question. In the 2014 statistics, the net loss of churches would seem to be composed of total churches dissolved plus total churches dismissed minus new churches organized (110 + 101 – 15 = 196). Yet the total count of churches in the statistics shows a drop of 209 for the year, 13 more than the above numbers indicate. What this has to mean is that 13 congregations died, not by being dissolved or dismissed, but by being combined into “new churches.” Another way to say that is, “In order to create 15 newly organized churches, 13 existing churches were consumed.” Assuming most mergers would be of two existing congregations, and one of three, that would mean that 6 of the 15 newly organized churches were formed from mergers (5×2 plus 1×3), which would leave a total of 9 new churches that actually formed as new church plants. Of course, that’s not a great record for a denomination claiming a membership of 1.7 million spread over almost 10,000 churches.
In reply to Nancy Aubel’s query about the number of deaths contained in the losses of PCUSA membership, from at least 2007 up until 2012, the number of deaths recorded averaged in the low 30,000s annually. In the last three years, that number has decreased each year: 29,810, 28,784, 28,389. It seems that Presbyterians are doing everything they can to stay alive so as to boost denominational statistics! Unfortunately, the losses in transfers and dropouts dwarf the happy, but tiny, decrease in annual deaths, which is why the denomination has lost almost 17% of its membership in the last 3 recorded years.
Absolutely! It used to be really easy to “create” your own 1001 since there was no vetting anything that anyone wanted to put up. I once saw a group that was a 1001 for pets. Another promoted bisexual marriage. A third had a focus on that Duck Call reality TV show. All three were clearly spoofs, clearly not reformed, nor even Christian for that matter. Yet for many months these 1001s were listed as legitimate PCUSA entities. It was an embarrassment!
Don,
I imagine that the reporting of these statistics is done sometime earlier in the year, rather than at year end. Since Highland Park wasn’t officially released until November (I believe), it wasn’t accounted for in the tally for Grace. Nothing nefarious, I would guess. It will show up in next year’s reporting; otherwise something shady will indeed be afoot.
“In the three years 2012-2014, the PCUSA’s membership declined by more than 15%.”
This is not strictly accurate. To calculate the percentage of the PCUSA’s membership loss from 2011 to 2014, one must subtract the 2014 membership from the 2011 membership and then divide by the 2011 membership, not simply add the annual membership loss percentages from 2012-2014. Thus, the three-year membership loss is 14.57%, or almost 15%, not “more than 15%”.
But the point is well-taken, that whereas Christ commands us to go out into all the world and make disciples of all the nations and presents Himself as the good shepherd who will leave the 99 to retrieve the one that is lost, the PCUSA is falling woefully short on both accounts.
I find it curious far in this informative discussion to date on the topic that we have yet to hear from “Pres” or the other usual apologists and enablers of the PCUSA. Math is math. The liberal establishment have to come to two conclusions on the 30 plus year decline into collapse of their beloved organization.
Either they must admit that membership numbers do not really matter or are irrelevant, hence people are irrelevant to their purposes, or they must adopt the fantasy and magic thinking of the “1001” office, that the great rebirth of the dying carcass of an organization is just around the bend, as it was for them in 1983. Much like waiting for Gedot, they just keep on waiting, a very patient lot indeed.
Peter, I too thought about the Titanic while reading this article and its related comments. I loved your witty comment. Another analogy could be that PCUSA is wasting its time by “rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic”! It’s time to get back to preaching the Word of God and not a social gospel message! No wonder membership is decreasing each year!
This creative accounting regarding how membership is counted, reminds me a little of Orwell’s “Animal Farm”, where rules are written, and then creatively changed to fit the needs of the ruling pig leaders. Example: “All animals are equal”, later adding, “but some animals are more equal than others.” Parson’s quote: “Membership declines continue, but on a whole the denomination is settling into the new thing God is creating.” I wouldn’t call this church’s decline something that God created, but rather humankind’s folly by preaching a social gospel, instead of salvation and Christ’s redemptive work on the cross.
It is indeed sobering to realize the last year of positive membership growth was the year I was a junior in high school. I believe we are well passed the “deck chairs” metaphor but if you wish to continue speaking of the Titanic, remember the orchestra played while everyone else got into life boats…until the Captain said, “Gentlemen, it is now every man for himself.” Perhaps those who remain are simply awaiting the Captain’s final order?
From 2007-2013 the entire denomination lost 20.33% of its membership. I’d say Pastor Gregory has far far far better with his flock than the average.
The absolute membership loss was the second highest in history, but the percentage loss was the highest due to the ever-declining base.
The amazing thing to me is that no one in the PCUSA seems to care that the denomination is fading away or is willing to make any policy changes that would reverse the hemorrhage of members.
The policy changes that include ordination of homosexual pastors and endorsement of homosexual marriage apparently means that the PCUSA is a denomination that caters to homosexuals and is likely to become predominantly homosexual in membership.
At the present rate of loss, the last member will leave in 18 more years.
Will the last person to leave please turn out the lights?
I am flattered that my little church on the river has become quite the object of interest. Ah, Pres. I stopped reporting membership numbers to the denomination in 2010. The end of year reports are just another denominational information grab and intrusive practice, among many. I do not know, nor care what they have on file. They may make it up for all I know. As we withhold per capita because of denomination anti-Semitism and general managemnt incompetence, again, not an issue.
Again, I am just a little church, can you really trust any number Louisville produces from 11,000 other churches? It makes for good and lively discussion, but this is the same crowd that will spend 2 million in legal fees to correct a 300K matter with their Mission Agency. Go figure.
Anything else to discuss?
That was my point.
I enjoy your pithy comments. They’re uplifting, accurate observations without being overly harsh (like me sometimes), and insert some spiritual references/analogies from the Good Book.
One of the original points by PC-USA in endorsing homosexual members, pastors, and same sex marriage was it would attract new members especially young adults and teenagers. As expected it did not, and no doubt we are not seeing a denomination that appears blessed by God.
What!!?? Didn’t you read Stated Clerk Gradye Parsons’ statement? “Membership statistics and church numbers… (are) not the entire message of how the PCUSA is impacting the world.” God must be blessing the PCUSA in innumerable ways—never mind the blatant fact that Parsons couldn’t cite a single meaningful example of how the PCUSA is impacting the world if his job depended on it. After all, hasn’t the PCUSA prostituted itself to—I mean accommodated—the world’s way of thinking? If the PCUSA is capitulating its understanding of the Scriptures, the Gospel, the sole saving efficacy of Christ, the Creation account, and now human sexuality and marriage to the world’s ways of thinking, it must surely be making some kind of impact on the world, mustn’t it?
More food for thought on the denomination numbers. I use per capita remittance rates as a more accurate measure of real live PCUSA type people, actually living. As even in the most liberal presbyteries run only about 65-75% collection rates. I would posit that the actual 1.66 mil “reported” number is actually 25-30% ‘fluff” or bloat. How many reporting churches, presbyteries actually manage their reported numbers to per capita assessments?
The real working number of actual active PCUSA types in church, is really 1-1.2 mil, as of the 2014 report date. At their loss rate of about 240 a day, smoothed out to account for the 1983-2014 decline, do the math as to where the organization is now, today.
Loren – Love that facetious humor of yours. You are absolutely right. I can’t imagine what goes through the head of PCUSA leadership in thinking that tilting to the left will somehow magically increase numbers. LOL to the comment about PCUSA making “some kind of impact on the world”. Classic stuff.
What your numbers show is that the PCUSA is literally dying rather than collapsing.
correction – at paragraph 4 – it was called UPCNA before the merger & then the resultant merger was UPCUSA for a while.
as I’ve said before, I find myself as a prospective church member of somewhat liberal mind on some issues, but whose family heritage was strongly UPCNA and Covenanter/Seceder. In seeking an appropriate local church to reflect my feelings, the PCUSA seems like an increasingly difficult match. The existence of the Layman however is an encouraging factor.
I guess this would be a topic for further discussion, prospective members who are being DETERRED from joining & why so.
hangin in there,
Tim
It isn’t like progressivism is a new problem.
Malachi 3:7 From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts. But you say, ‘How shall we return?’
Indeed, how can they return? They remain in denial. In the Nile. In Egypt.
Where Christ is worshiped and His Law followed, churches grow.
Where Christ is not worshiped and His Law replaced with man’s perversions, churches die.
While there are still individual Christians within the Presbyterian Church (USA), the denomination is no longer Christian. That is why it is dying.
This does not even include former members who have not yet written personal letters to their session to be asked to be removed from the roles.
Does anyone know the source for the pdf named pcusa-membership-1960-2014.pdf ?
It has different information than is found at thearda.org.
http://www.thearda.com/Denoms/D_1477.asp
Perhaps different definitions of membership are being used. Can anyone shed some light?
The membership numbers in the chart come from the statistics released each year from the PCUSA’s Office of the General Assembly.
Thanks! Any idea what data thearda.org was using?