November 6, 2025
To focus outward means that the church’s primary concern is the people outside its walls and influence. It means that the church’s assets—its money, its talent, its time, and its facility—are focused toward reaching into that group.
Statistics from Christian Standard Church Report for 2024.
Fast Facts compiled from the 2024 Christian Standard Church Report.
The Christian Standard Church Report for 2024 provides important historical data, current trends, and valuable insights.
Christian Standard Church Report for 2024. This is a representative sample of our movement that provides important historical data, current trends, and valuable insights.
March 2, 2025
Who are those currently surrounding you and infusing you with strength? Such strengthening angels will be able to assure you that you have been called, that you are loved and that you are kept by the grace of God.
October 31, 2024
Independent Christian churches and churches of Christ have a record of missionary activity and advocacy that stretches back to the earliest chapters of Restoration history. Our many contemporary missions organizations, programs, and conferences show that this commitment to making disciples around the globe is still a key characteristic of our movement.
July 1, 2024
In 2023, 57 percent of churches reported that giving exceeded their budget, with 21 percent saying giving met their budgeted needs. . . .
Are we content with mediocrity and satisfied with the status quo? Do we ache to be more effective in our leadership efforts? . . .
June 13, 2024
Despite our history of division, the question remains: “Is it still possible to honor our Lord’s prayer for unity and thus carry out his Great Commission?” I would answer, yes, because “with God, all things are possible.”
May 1, 2024
AVERAGE WEEKLY IN-PERSON-ONLY WORSHIP ATTENDANCE Megachurches: 4,499 (37 churches) Emerging Megachurches: 1,088 (43 churches) Large Churches: 591 (38 churches) Medium Churches: 320 (54 churches) Small Churches: 137 (74 churches) Very Small Churches: 49 (68 churches) _ _ _ AVERAGE WEEKLY IN-PERSON + ONLINE WORSHIP ATTENDANCE Megachurches: 6,424 (37 churches) Emerging Megachurches: 1,430 (43 churches) Large Churches: 712 (38 churches) Medium Churches: 370 (54 churches) Small Churches: 162 (74 churches) Very Small Churches: 55 (68 churches) 76% of the churches reported online worship attendance numbers _ _ _ TOTAL ATTENDANCE GROWTH RATES (2022 TO 2023) Megachurches: 12.0% Emerging Megachurches: 25.2% Large:
May 1, 2024
The pandemic caused some churches to refocus or redefine their ministry practices. . . .
May 1, 2024
Is it still possible to honor our Lord’s prayer for unity and thus carry out his Great Commission? . . .
April 11, 2024
The Restoration Movement is "not liberal, not really evangelical, not fundamentalist—as a group we are generally conservative, but not consistently so," LeRoy Lawson wrote in 2006. "In fact, critics could accuse us of not being consistently anything" . . .
November 14, 2023
When the 2023 International Conference on Missions opens this week in Oklahoma City, it will do so with high hopes—and in a place ICOM hasn’t been in 50 years. The theme this year is “Hope for the Nations.” Stephanie Freed of Rapha International is serving as president . . .
May 1, 2023
By Kent E. Fillinger When I look back at the last few years through the filter of our annual survey results, I would argue that 2020 was a year of crisis, 2021 was a year of adaptation, and 2022 was a year of transition. In-Person vs. Online Worship Attendance One exciting transition churches experienced last year was more people shifted back to in-person worship from watching online. Comparing 2022 in-person worship attendance data to 2021 showed attendance increases for churches of all sizes. The megachurches (with average weekly worship attendance of 2,000 or more) suffered the greatest attendance declines during
May 1, 2023
AVERAGE WEEKLY IN-PERSON WORSHIP ATTENDANCE Megachurches: 5,136 (22 churches) Emerging Megachurches: 1,367 (37 churches) Large Churches: 714 (49 churches) Medium Churches: 361 (61 churches) Small Churches: 159 (83 churches) Very Small Churches: 51 (118 churches) _ _ _ AVERAGE WEEKLY IN-PERSON + ONLINE WORSHIP ATTENDANCE Megachurches: 6,375 (36 churches) Emerging Megachurches: 1,393 (45 churches) Large Churches: 705 (44 churches) Medium Churches: 363 (57 churches) Small Churches: 161 (87 churches) Very Small Churches: 53 (101 churches) _ _ _ TOP 3 FASTEST-GROWING CHURCHES (2021-22)* Megachurches: 67.4%: Southbrook Christian Church, Miamisburg, OH 53.8%: Southeast Christian Church, Louisville, KY 53.7%: The Crossing, Quincy,
August 10, 2022
A little more than half of the respondents (54 percent) reported their church uses the prepackaged Communion cups (with juice and bread sealed in a single container, purchased from a vendor). Among those folks, 42 percent either “strongly agreed” or “agreed” they were easy to use, while 45 percent either “disagreed” or “strongly disagreed” the prefilled cups were easy to use. . . .
August 1, 2022
No longer are we stunned to read, “A Christian college is closing its doors!” . . . By 1980, about 40 colleges were committed to preparing the next generation of servant-leaders among the independent Christian churches. What has happened in recent years to reduce that number to fewer than 20?
July 1, 2022
By Kent E. Fillinger Prior to the pandemic, most larger churches were already actively and sometimes aggressively using online church as an outreach strategy to connect with more people beyond their physical locations. For many smaller churches, the pandemic expedited their technological timeline and forced them into the realm of online church. Every church I know is still trying to “crack the code” to determine how to shift people from “passive viewers” of online church to “engaged disciples.” Some churches have invested significant time, staffing, and financial resources to expand their online push and to upgrade their technology. Despite these
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April 22, 2026
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