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Leading Ideas | January 7, 2025
As the landscape of ministry continues to shift, the Lewis Center sees congregations adapting in creative new ways. Jessica Anschutz, Ann Michel, and Doug Powe of the Lewis Center staff identify seven trends impacting churches and how they pursue their missions in 2025.
1. Has the rise of the Nones plateaued?
Researcher Ryan Burge is known for having his finger on the pulse of trends related to the percentage of Americans claiming no religious affiliation, often referred to as the “Nones.” Since the 1990s, the percentage of Nones has risen from single digits to over 20% of the U.S. population. (See “Understanding the Nones,” Leading Ideas, April 21, 2021) In 2019, Dr. Burge made headlines when he announced that the percentage of Americans who don’t affiliate with any specific religious tradition had surpassed the number who identify as evangelical or Catholic, the two largest religious traditions in the U.S. Yet in 2024, Burge reported consistent evidence across the major surveys used to monitor these trends that the rise of the Nones may be largely over now. While the percentage is still quite high (roughly 23 to 24%), Burge now believes it won’t be increasing in the same way that it did in the prior 30 years. If this observation holds true, it is welcome news to church leaders. But with nearly a quarter of U.S. adults unaffiliated, the Nones remain a cause for concern and a significant mission field.
As churches seek to maximize resources and strengthen community ties, collaborative forms of ministry such as cooperative parishes, hubs, and multisite charges are increasing.
2. Young women account for a growing percentage of the religiously disaffiliated.
Men have typically demonstrated lower levels of religious engagement than women and in past years, the stereotypical None was a reasonably well-educated white guy. But as the proportion of religiously unaffiliated Americans has grown to over 20% of the population, it has also become more diverse in terms of race, education, and gender. Notable of late is evidence that women, particularly young, evangelical women, are abandoning their faith communities at a rate equal to or higher than that of men. The result is that young women today, at least by some measures, are less religious than young men, a trend that might challenge the many congregations that have counted on generations of actively engaged women.
3. More congregations will employ part-time pastors.
Many congregations, especially mainline congregations, are finding the financial burden of paying a full-time pastor more and more challenging. This challenge is likely to accelerate as more and more congregations experience attrition due to people moving, leaving the congregation, and deaths. Given these factors, we believe there will be an uptick in part-time pastors over the next few years. This is not necessarily negative because part-time (bi-vocational) ministry has biblical roots going back to Paul. But it is a shift that will require a new mindset for many congregations and denominations as they think about resourcing congregations.
4. Artificial Intelligence is enhancing ministry outreach in unexpected ways.
Often when we hear the term Artificial Intelligence or AI in connection with ministry, we think about pastors using ChatGPT to write sermons. We need to expand our thinking about AI and consider ways that it can enhance a congregation’s ministry. For instance, AI can be used to create content from delivered sermons to expand a congregation’s reach through social media. A smaller congregation likely could not afford to pay someone to do the work necessary for such outreach, but with certain AI programs it becomes possible. AI can also help target the audience who will receive the content so that it gets a better reception. While we must continue to struggle with the ethical issues related to AI and ministry, we should also consider the ways AI can be helpful, especially for churches with less resources.
5. Intergenerational ministries offer a new approach to faith formation.
As we shared last year, declining membership and more sporadic worship attendance have disrupted the rhythm of weekly, age-level Sunday school programs in many congregations. Increasingly congregations are developing intergenerational ministries to promote shared learning and mutual support, enriching the faith experience for children, youth, and adults. These ministries build relationships in congregations and communities, celebrating the God-given gifts, talents, knowledge, and experiences of each generation, while fostering a sense of belonging and continuity within the community of faith. Congregations should consider the shifts necessary to bridge the generational divides through worship, discipleship opportunities, and outreach ministries, then begin by taking small steps to cultivate relationships among the generations present.
6. Collaborative forms of ministry allow smaller churches to remain viable.
As churches seek to maximize resources and strengthen community ties, collaborative forms of ministry such as cooperative parishes, hubs, and multisite charges are increasing. In these models, multiple congregations work together to share ministries, staff, and/or facilities for more effective outreach and discipleship. In some cases, this allows smaller churches to remain viable while pooling resources. These collaborations produce joint worship services and community outreach ministries, and facilitate the exchange of ideas and best practices, enabling churches to innovate and adapt. Such collaboration can enhance spiritual growth, promote sustainability, and enrich the community.
7. Congregations continue to seek creative ways to leverage their church property.
For several years, we have observed that more and more congregations are reassessing their building needs and looking to leverage the value of their property by renting, redeveloping, or selling space, or through creative space-sharing arrangements with mission agencies or community partners. This trend has been most pronounced in major urban areas with high property values, but increasingly there are examples of churches in small and rural communities finding contextually appropriate ways to make the most of their buildings and property. (See “Fresh Hope for Rural Churches,” Leading Ideas, April 2, 2024) Yet, in the post-Covid era, demand for office and meeting space has not fully bounced back in many parts of the country, suggesting that churches will need to find opportunities beyond these one-time staples of the church rental market.
Related Resources
- Who are The Nones? featuring Ryan Burge — Watch the Leading Ideas Talks podcast video | Listen to the podcast audio version | Read the in-depth interview
- What Does Declining Attendance Portend for Congregations and Their Leaders? by Lovett H. Weems Jr.
- 10 Keys to Intergenerational Leadership by Valerie Grissom
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Jessica