PCUSA may drop below 1 million members by end of 2025: report

[Michie]

Presbyterian Church (USA), the largest Presbyterian denomination in the United States, may dip below 1 million members by the end of the current year, according to a recent report.

The PC(USA) Interim Unified Agency released its annual report on church statistics, which found that the denomination lost nearly 49,000 members in 2024, going from approximately 1.094 million members in 2023 to approximately 1.045 million members last year.

The 2024 numbers of active members are also around 150,000 fewer people than reported in 2021, with the number of church elders dropping from about 56,900 in 2021 to about 51,400 last year.

Continued below.

PCUSA may drop below 1 million members by end of 2025: report

Presbyterian Church USA , the largest Presbyterian denomination in the United States, may dip below 1 million members by the end of the current year, according to a recent report

www.christianpost.com

 

[chevyontheriver]

Presbyterian Church (USA), the largest Presbyterian denomination in the United States, may dip below 1 million members by the end of the current year, according to a recent report.

The PC(USA) Interim Unified Agency released its annual report on church statistics, which found that the denomination lost nearly 49,000 members in 2024, going from approximately 1.094 million members in 2023 to approximately 1.045 million members last year.

The 2024 numbers of active members are also around 150,000 fewer people than reported in 2021, with the number of church elders dropping from about 56,900 in 2021 to about 51,400 last year.

Continued below.

PCUSA may drop below 1 million members by end of 2025: report

Presbyterian Church USA , the largest Presbyterian denomination in the United States, may dip below 1 million members by the end of the current year, according to a recent report

www.christianpost.com

Somebody remember to turn out the lights if you are the last ones out.

 

[RileyG]

Isn’t this a trend in most of the “seven sister” Churches? The mainline Protestant denominations? That’s really unfortunate.

 

[jas3]

Isn’t this a trend in most of the “seven sister” Churches? The mainline Protestant denominations? That’s really unfortunate.

Yes, the natural result of abandoning Christian morality.

Trent Horn did an interview on his show recently with someone who goes by "Redeemed Zoomer" who's trying to build support for an effort for conservatives to retake the mainline denominations, but in my opinion it's just not going to happen.

 

[RileyG]

Yes, the natural result of abandoning Christian morality.

Trent Horn did an interview on his show recently with someone who goes by "Redeemed Zoomer" who's trying to build support for an effort for conservatives to retake the mainline denominations, but in my opinion it's just not going to happen.

Yup. Redeemed Zoomer is part of the PCUSA, and is a conservative.

 

[chevyontheriver]

Isn’t this a trend in most of the “seven sister” Churches? The mainline Protestant denominations? That’s really unfortunate.

It IS unfortunate. And will probably be fatal. But it is a self-inflicted wound. They sought 'relevance' and they became irrelevant. Catholics are doing the same thing and seeing the same results and will have the same end unless we straighten out and fly right.

 

[RileyG]

It IS unfortunate. And will probably be fatal. But it is a self-inflicted wound. They sought 'relevance' and they became irrelevant. Catholics are doing the same thing and seeing the same results and will have the same end unless we straighten out and fly right.

Yup. I agree. We must be faithful to Christ, not the world.

 

[tampasteve]

It IS unfortunate. And will probably be fatal. But it is a self-inflicted wound. They sought 'relevance' and they became irrelevant. Catholics are doing the same thing and seeing the same results and will have the same end unless we straighten out and fly right.

Bingo. Famously the most "liberal and inclusive" denominations are also statistically the oldest. whitest, and fastest shrinking. go figure.

 

[FireDragon76]

Yup. Redeemed Zoomer is part of the PCUSA, and is a conservative.

As a Mainline Protestant, I don't agree with him on many points, but I think his decision to stay is ultimately the right one. We need different voices in Mainline Protestant churches. One problem with many Mainline churches is becoming completely conflict-averse in terms of culture, this means they are often captured by a consensus that is often older, and of a similar social class, and often overlooks the spiritual needs of the young and newcomers.

Bingo. Famously the most "liberal and inclusive" denominations are also statistically the oldest. whitest, and fastest shrinking. go figure.

The most politically liberal Mainline denomination, the UCC, is actually one of the least white.

Christians have always sought relevance, going back to Paul on Mars Hill.

 

[Pioneer3mm]

PCUSA decline..
- It has been..from 1990's.
---
I was involved in PCUSA.
- 1980's

 

[tampasteve]

The most politically liberal Mainline denomination, the UCC, is actually one of the least white.

The UCC stats page shows that their membership in 2022 was over 83% white and has had a membership drop of over 30% since 2012, it isn't a great example of a thriving church.

 

[FireDragon76]

The UCC stats page shows that their membership in 2022 was over 83% white and has had a membership drop of over 30% since 2012, it isn't a great example of a thriving church.

All traditional denominations are declining, not just the Mainline.

One of the most conservative churches in the US, the Roman Catholics, are bleeding members at an astonishing rate. And for all the talk of growth in Eastern Orthodox, as many people leave as convert.

 

[tampasteve]

One of the most conservative churches in the US, the Roman Catholics, are bleeding members at an astonishing rate. And for all the talk of growth in Eastern Orthodox, as many people leave as convert.

"Bleeding members at an astonishing rate" is a bit of an overstatement considering stats I have seen show a decline of about 4% since 2007. Not great of course, but certainly not as bad as a lot of other denominations.

Circling back to the stats on demographics, the Catholic Church is far less white than most mainline churches in the USA with about 54% White, 36% Hispanic, 4% Asian and 2% Black and 2% "other".

 

[FireDragon76]

"Bleeding members at an astonishing rate" is a bit of an overstatement considering stats I have seen show a decline of about 4% since 2007. Not great of course, but certainly not as bad as a lot of other denominations.

The stats reflect immigration from Latin America. Alot of people raised Catholic in the US, though, have disaffiliated.

 

[tampasteve]

The stats reflect immigration from Latin America. Alot of people raised Catholic in the US, though, have disaffiliated.

UCC stats, as well as stats for other churches, don't exclude immigration, in terms of membership numbers are numbers.

 

[FireDragon76]

UCC stats, as well as stats for other churches, don't exclude immigration, in terms of membership numbers are numbers.

The majority of immigration in the US in the past twenty years has been from historic Catholic countries in Latin America.