In 2008, I commented on a post by the Aquila Report: “The PCUSA continues its statistical decline. As a firm believer in Scottish revivals I might be tempted to take this as a sign of health but, in this case, it doesn’t seem to be an indicator of faithfulness. Of course the NAPARC churches aren’t exactly bursting at the seams. It turns out that no one seems to no exactly how big the PCA (the largest NAPARC group) is. Most of the NAPARC groups seem to be holding steady or growing slowly.” Years later, here is an update on the incredible shrinking mainline.
In 2024 the PC(USA) shrank by 48,885 members, down to 1,045,848 (4.5%). The steady decline of about 4.5 percent per year is mostly consistent across the past decade after accelerating earlier. Presbyterians also saw 140 local churches either dissolved or dismissed to other denominations, still counting 8,432 total. Across the entire denomination, only four churches were planted in 2024, the lowest number in memory (the average had been nearly 30 new churches planted each year between 1995-2005).
On track to drop below one million members sometime this year, the PC(USA) will have less than one-third of the 3.1 million members that it counted when formed in reunion of two predecessor bodies in 1983. Peak membership was in 1965, with 4.25 million members in the two denominations that later merged.
Large churches have declined in number precipitously. In 2021, 919 PC(USA) local churches had more than 800 members, in 2024 that was only 367. Two-thirds of congregations have fewer than 100 members, while 22.7% have 25 or less. Read more»
Jeffrey Walton | “Presbyterian Church (USA): Smaller, Older, Fewer” | May 23, 2025
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