By Shawn McMullen
Six years ago, Christian Standard Media assembled a database of independent Christian Churches and Churches of Christ in the U.S. from several existing sources. We understood, due to the fluid nature of the material we gathered, that much of the information we collected would be outdated. Phone numbers, websites, Facebook pages, and even physical addresses and congregation names can change over time.
Even so, we were committed to gathering as much information on our tribe as we could. We believed then and we believe now that one way to “leverage the power that comes from our unity” as a movement is to remain connected to one another.
Our team spent countless hours making phone calls and scouring the web to track down and update as many congregational profiles as we could. The result was a database known as CC ChurchLink. The CC ChurchLink website (www.ccchurchlink.com) explains its purpose:
The incredible blessing of our independence can also work against us when it comes to learning, developing effectiveness, and fulfilling our commission to build the kingdom of Christ. Early on, we could see that unity could not be leveraged without an accurate, digital network that could be recognized and utilized. . . .
Our hope is that this database can provide a resource for both churches and individuals. Churches can use this resource for networking and partnering with one another, and individuals can use this resource to find a church home, or maybe a place to visit while away on vacation. Our power comes from our unity, and we want to empower the church.
An Updated Directory of Churches
It’s been six years since we published the data for CC ChurchLink, and it’s clear that an updated directory of churches is overdue. Allison Harris, Director of Marketing and Advertising for Christian Standard Media, has launched a new season of research to update the database and move it to a more user-friendly platform. The process is well underway, and we hope to make the database available soon.
Why This Information Matters
In his “Letter from the Publisher” (Christian Standard, May 2018), Jerry Harris wrote about the information we gather from congregations each year for the annual Church Report. He noted that some churches were hesitant to submit their information, fearing “that either pride or a spirit of competition is connected with reporting average attendance and baptisms.” Understanding their concerns, Jerry suggested seven reasons why it’s important that every church submits their information to share with every other church in our movement. Those same principles, listed below, speak to our reasons for compiling a new directory.
1. No matter our location or size, we’re all on the same team. It’s valuable to see that God is doing incredible things in our movement, even if it’s not happening in our local church right now.
2. Growing churches in every category provide a network for best practices. Having a network from which to learn and adapt is a great way to revive our local ministry and begin growing again.
3. The largest churches aren’t always the best examples. There are prevailing churches in every demographic that can provide great examples of effective ministry.
4. The quickest way to stop growing is to stop learning. There is a nearly inexhaustible supply of creativity and wisdom in this movement, and we need to find a way to connect all our congregations to it.
5. Pride cuts both ways. By opting out we might feel we are suppressing a spirit of competition or pride, but we may also be sacrificing the interdependence necessary to help us all get better.
6. Anonymity does not edify the larger church. Networking with other churches that serve in similar circumstances can be priceless.
7. We need more opportunities to celebrate wins with one another. Wins come in all shapes and sizes. Where else can we celebrate them?
For these reasons and more, we want to collect as much accurate data as we can so that all the churches in our movement can be part of this great and growing network of congregations.
Filling the Gaps
The first database we produced was comprised of nearly 6,800 churches. Our current list contains about 5,200 churches. That raises the question, What has happened to the 1,600 churches we weren’t able to track down? We’ve identified several reasons why some churches remain unaccounted for.
- Some of those churches no longer exist.
- Some were absorbed by other congregations.
- Some came under the oversight of a multisite church.
- Some changed their name.
- Some changed their affiliation.
Our most recent research has yielded a list of about 1,100 churches without a traceable digital footprint. That still leaves about 500 churches completely unaccounted for.
Here’s How You Can Help
In this link to an excel file, we list the name, city, and state of the churches that appeared in our previous database but have no discernible digital footprint today. If you have information about any of the congregations in the list, we would be most grateful if you would share that information with Allison Harris at [email protected]. We’re especially interested in updated contact information.
Together, we hope to build a database of churches that will connect us, teach us, inspire us, and equip us to do kingdom work in new and better ways.
Shawn McMullen is editor of Christian Standard.
Can you share that link in a PDF file as I do not have the current version of excel on my phone or on my computer and I can’t afford to have it installed.
The church in Shattuck, OK has closed.
The church in Hydro, OK is open and Rick Dyson is the minister.
I’ve been a part of our tribe/denomination for over 70 years and graduated from one of “our” Bible colleges.
First , our tribalism has always bothered me. It seemed to go against Jesus’ prayer in John 17:20-21 “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.” I was pleased that our tribalism seemed to be disappearing until just a few years ago. Groups like Exponential came out of “our tribe.” It’s a big (5000) church planting conference that even includes some main line denominational people.
Our unity is to be with the body of Christ, not just with our “denomination.” The body of Christ may include a lot of people we would exclude. Paul writes in 1 Cor 12:3 No one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed”; and no one can say,”Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. It seems to me that anyone who confesses “Jesus is Lord” has the Holy Spirit and is a Christian brother (sister) and we need to treat them as such even if we disagree with much of what they say/teach. Sometimes we seem to be a bit like the Judaizers of the New Testament. We want you to be like us before we will accept you and work with you.
Second, a few days ago I was part of a Bible study looking at Romans 12. In 12:3 Paul says, “I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment.” We mentioned how we often compare ourselves with those we consider to be not as good as we are. Compared to some denominations we appear to be good. However, the best data available indicates we are dying. Every ten years the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies does a county by county counting of the religious congregations (churches, synagogues, etc.) in America. In 2000 they listed us as having 5,471 churches with 1,439,253 members. In 2020 they listed us as having 4,787 churches with 1,379,041 members. That’s a drop of nearly 700 churches and over 60,000 members. While some of our megachurches look very successful, as the size and number of megachurches has grown, the number of people actually going to church has declined and the number of lost people has grown. That’s not what Jesus wants or expects.
When we compare ourselves with what is happening in other parts of the world, we appear to be total failures. For instance, for nearly 50 years I’ve been a mostly volunteer church planting leader. I’m not aware of any year when we planted as many as 50 new churches in America. My friend, Josh Howard, working with the Central India Christian Mission church planting saw over 17,000 new churches in just two years and David Watson’s ministry has seen at least close to a quarter million new churches around the world in the last thirty plus years. We need to be learning from people like that, not the megachurches in America where Christianity is dying. Growing a church and growing the Kingdom are two very different things.