2010 PCA Statistics

[CharlieJ]

I have attached the Stated Clerk's records of the 39th GA of the PCA. On page 4, you can view the statistics. I must say, I was a bit puzzled by one relationship:

Total membership: 346,814, an increase of 414.

Total Family Units: 137,263, an increase of 2,033.

I'm trying to find a plausible scenario in which the PCA can increase by 2,000 families but only 400 people. Or, do family units count both members and regular attenders?

How reliable are these statistics? Are there churches that don't report this information?

 

[Scott1]

My understanding is that about 1/2 of all churches do not even report statistics to the denomination.

Members should mean members, as differentiated from "regular attenders."

There is every reason to believe the numbers are understated.

 

[Rufus]

My understanding is that about 1/2 of all churches do not even report statistics to the denomination.

Members should mean members, as differentiated from "regular attenders."

There is every reason to believe the numbers are understated.

Does that mean the denomination is bigger than understood?

 

[Scott1]

Yes!

 

[Rufus]

Yes!

Great! Glory be to God!

I attended a PCA church once, and God willing will again.

 

[CharlieJ]

But surely the number of churches is correct, yes? I mean, even if a church doesn't report statistics, they can still count the church itself fairly easily.

Along that line, does the number of churches reported include only particularized congregations, or also mission works?

 

[Contra_Mundum]

Here are a couple of numeric issues:
1) One scenario: two PCA members marry. No net change in membership; one additional family (no net losses of families). Young newlyweds do not ordinarily bring additional members into the church.

2) several churches could leave the denomination, taking more single members out of the denomination, while the addition of several churches to the denomination could bring in a total of several more member families

 

[CharlieJ]

Bruce, in the PCA, do you need 2 or more people to make a family unit? I assumed that a single would count, you know, as a household. If I was right, then two singles marrying would actually reduce the number of family units. But, if you are right, that could help provide an explanation.

 

[Scott1]

Charlie,

The Clerk's office can supply us with additional information.

Reporting is voluntary in the PCA, and there are several ways that a mission church can be particularized, e.g. by the presbytery, as a daughter church of another congregation, or through the denominational agency Mission to North America.

One of the helpful things last couple of General Assemblies is BCO amendments to provide more guidance on particularizing. My guess is, and this is anecdotal, is that there are mission type works that are not even being reported to the central denomination and do not show up on the statistical reports.

Anecdotal only, Redeemer Presbyterian (someone can help here if they know otherwise) had around 2,000 members a couple years ago, but has far more than that regularly attending its five Lord's Day services, far more.

 

[Grimmson]

Scott,
For the total members, are these members only of communicable members status, or does it include noncommunicable members, like infants, as well? Do you know?

 

[Notthemama1984]

Growth of 1/10th of a percent?

that this grows exponentially this coming year.

 

[Scott1]

The Administrative Committee, which includes the Stated Clerk's Office, keeps good records on the information it has to work with. The statistics (2005-2009) break down the total membership:
Presbyterian Church in America              Statistics

In line with PCA doctrine, baptized children of believers, not yet examined for admission to the Lord's Supper are non-communing, but members of the visible church.

Therefore, "non-communicants" are counted in total membership.

 

[Marrow Man]

Do those statistics account for deaths? Death numbers would result in a loss in membership (offsetting gains), but would possibly not result in a loss of a family unit.

 

[Scott1]

In theory, the elders would have tabs on all that, including exit interviews for all who leave for another church, or quit going to church at all. Remember the underlying doctrine, high view of the church, is that one leaves only by death, transfer or ex-communication. I'm not saying that is always formally followed, not sure it even can be, but all that should be reflected in a particular church's roles, and then voluntarily, reported on to the denomination.

FYI, anecdotal, there have been times when Deacons followed up with members that missed four Lord's Day services in a row (to check and see if they were okay), and then those contacts could make it into the church's records. But this is more a function of local practice, and hence, the accuracy of figures reported to the denomination are limited, and incomplete.

 

[Rufus]

Growth of 1/10th of a percent?

that this grows exponentially this coming year.

 

[Scott1]

The PCA is in the process of adding two more presbyteries, from 77 to 79, which means an area period of sustained growth.

 

[Grimmson]

The Administrative Committee, which includes the Stated Clerk's Office, keeps good records on the information it has to work with. The statistics (2005-2009) break down the total membership:
Presbyterian Church in America************* Statistics

In line with PCA doctrine, baptized children of believers, not yet examined for admission to the Lord's Supper are non-communing, but members of the visible church.

Therefore, "non-communicants" are counted in total membership.

I am familiar with Presbyterians considering children as covenant members, the reason why I asked was considering biological growth as a factor, the increase of 414 along with adult new members would seem at least to me as being on the extreme low side; especially considering the total number of churches and missions being 1,757 (with the increase of 17).

 

[Wayne]

When you see an increase like 414 for the year, one thing is to look at how many churches might have left the denomination,
and were any of those churches particularly large churches. Just a few years ago Coral Ridge cleaned up its books and that
one change greatly affected the reported statistics for that year.

I too am praying.

 

[Edward]

Just a few years ago Coral Ridge cleaned up its books and that
one change greatly affected the reported statistics for that year.

And we've recently done some housekeeping as well; I'm not sure if that was reflected in last year's numbers or will show up for this year.

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It's my impression that the non-reporting churches tend to be smaller, but I have no real basis for that conclusion.

 

[N. Eshelman]

How many congregations left the PCA in 2010?