2 April, 2025

2017 Fast Facts about Small Churches and Very Small Churches

Features

by | 6 July, 2018 | 0 comments

AVERAGE SIZE

Small churches: 174

Very Small churches: 60

Combined average weekly attendance (128 churches): 16,469

 

GROWTH RATES

Small churches: -0.3 percent; overall, 36 percent of the small churches grew.

Very Small churches: 5.5 percent; overall, 44 percent of very small churches grew.

 

FASTEST-GROWING SMALL CHURCHES

Cornerstone Christian Church, Springfield, KY, 65.5 percent

Westside Christian Church, Bradenton, FL, 15.5 percent

Ridgeview Christian Church, Rolla, MO, 14.6 percent

 

FASTEST-GROWING VERY SMALL CHURCHES

Creekside Community Church, Hot Springs, AR, 51.7 percent

New Hope Christian Church, Belton, MO, 51.1 percent

Restoration Christian Church, Rogersville, MO, 40 percent

 

BAPTISMS

Small churches baptized 800 people (an average of 10 baptisms per church).

Very Small churches baptized 175 people (an average of 3 per church).

 

BAPTISM RATIOS

Number of baptisms per 100 people in average attendance:

Small churches: 6.1

Very Small churches: 5.5

 

BEST BAPTISM RATIOS PER 100—SMALL CHURCHES

Southwest Christian Church, Ocala, FL, 19.0

Redwood Christian Church, Grants Pass, OR, 18.4

East Union Christian Church, Atlanta, IN, 15.9

 

BEST BAPTISM RATIOS PER 100—VERY SMALL CHURCHES

Restoration Christian Church, Rogersville, MO, 20.0

Alvadore Christian Church, Alvadore, OR, 15.4

Versailles Christian Church, Versailles, IL, 13.3

 

GIVING

Average weekly per-person giving (based on general fund only):

Small churches: $31.80

Very Small churches: $30.58

 

OUTREACH GIVING

Percentage of total budget spent on ministry “outside the walls”:

Small churches: 17 percent

Very Small churches: 15 percent

 

BUDGETED FOR STAFFS

Percentage of total budget invested on ministry staff:

Small churches: 44 percent

Very Small churches: 52 percent

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