Looking at a larger population of congregations enables us to discern what might be typical for Disciples congregations. For example, we can delve into the size of congregations. Looking across the church in the U.S. and Canada, what’s the typical size for a Disciples congregation?

Reported average worship attendance and reported participants can furnish measures of congregation size, and we can use the median statistic to describe the characteristic. The median is the midpoint, the value at which half the reported values are less, and half are more. 

From the 1,650 congregations that reported for 2023, the median number of reported participants was 66. Half the congregations reported having 66 or fewer regular participants, and half reported more.

Similarly, from the reporting congregations, the median reported worship attendance was 40. Half the congregations reported average attendance of 40 or fewer, and half reported more. If your congregation welcomes 40 or fewer people in worship weekly, your congregation is like half of the Disciples congregations in the U.S. and Canada.

Median values by themselves, though, do not tell the whole story. We can get more insight by creating size categories and examining how many congregations fall into each category. For instance, if we break congregations into categories by worship attendance of 1-50, 51-150, 151-350, and 351+, what does that tell us about the population of congregations that reported for 2023?

Putting that information into a chart presents a clearer picture. Based on 2023 reporting, nearly two-thirds of Disciples congregations (64%) report average worship attendance of 50 or less. Congregations that welcome more than 150 people into worship weekly make up just 5% of all Disciples congregations.

Data, in and of itself, is neither good nor bad. Data is a tool for learning and understanding. Data answers questions, and its best use raises new questions. Looking at this data, we begin to understand that the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is primarily a fellowship of smaller congregations.

What does that mean for our ministry? As smaller congregations, how might we best structure ourselves for effective ministry? How might regional and general ministries adapt to support, encourage, and build up ministry with smaller congregations?

In future articles, we will continue to explore statistics that help us understand what is typical for Disciples congregations. 

The post A Fellowship of Smaller Congregations appeared first on Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

The annual ALEX reporting for 2023 included the opportunity to participate in a supplemental survey. From those survey responses we hope to gain a baseline understanding of the online ministry of Disciple congregations. We will be publishing results from the survey later.

Of those that responded, more than two-thirds livestream their worship services. This is an important part of a congregation’s worship and outreach ministry, so it is important that we collect data and build an understanding of this vital ministry. 

Meanwhile, the annual ALEX report specifically requested in-person worship attendance. That is, the annual reporting asks each congregation to count people. 

When analyzing and interpreting data, though, it is critical to know that the counts  represent the same thing. While in-person attendance represents people, the views of a livestream represent devices. A device, like a computer, phone, or tablet, connects to the stream for viewing. We don’t know from that count how many people viewed, how long they viewed, or if the same person or group viewed more than once.

When recording in-person attendance for a service, the count is available once the service ends. On the other hand, a livestream can be viewed the same day or up to a week or more later. Because the stream count and in-person attendance represent two different data sources, we have to count these separately. 

Stream views can happen anytime, but in-person attendance is real-time. Survey responses indicated that some congregations use Zoom to welcome people into worship remotely. A live video conference, like Zoom, is real-time, and it allows for counting the people in attendance on the call. This would be included in in-person attendance. If, however, the Zoom meeting is recorded and uploaded for later viewing, those later views would be counted as stream views.

Up to this point, the annual reporting for neither ALEX nor the Yearbook has asked for streaming information. Using information gathered from the supplemental survey, we plan to start asking for streaming data alongside in-person attendance in the reporting period that will begin in January 2025.

The post Difference Between Streaming and Attendance appeared first on Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

ALEX Yearbook reporting for 2023 data listed 2,887 congregations. Where are those congregations located? Where do Disciples have a concentrated presence, and where is that presence sparser? Regional fellowship groups as well as state and province data can help us explore these questions.

Regional Fellowship Groups

The 31 regions of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) connect as five regional fellowship groups: the Northeastern Inter-Regional Fellowship (NIRF), the Southeastern Regional Fellowship (SERF), Heartland, Regions of the Sun Engaged in Service (ROSES), and Western Regions in Ministry (WRIM). Through these geographic groups regions and regional ministers find connection, encouragement, and support.

The Regional Fellowship map displays the geography of the fellowship groups. In addition, the accompanying tables show the count and percentages of congregations, members, and participants within each group. 

The map and table data demonstrate that three quarters (75%) of the listed Disciples congregations are located within the Heartland, ROSES, and SERF fellowship groups. Likewise, four out of five members (80%) of Disciples congregations are located within these three fellowship groups. Only 20% of Disciples, according to 2023 reporting, are located outside of these groups.

We may have known this intuitively, but most Disciples can be found in the southern and central United States.

States and Provinces

We can drill deeper by examining data at the state level. The Congregation Density by Population map indicates the concentration of listed Disciples congregations per 100,000 people in each U.S. state and Canadian province.

In this view, the Disciples fertile crescent becomes more apparent. We find the highest concentration of congregations per 100,000 people in Kentucky, Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, and Oklahoma. This depiction also illustrates how the early expansion of the Stone-Campbell movement followed the expansion of European settlement westward in the U.S. 

Four U.S. states and four Canadian provinces do not contain a Disciple congregation.

Living on Disciples Time

Disciple congregations span seven time zones. The time difference between the easternmost and westernmost congregations is six hours. Five congregations in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island provinces are in the Atlantic Time Zone (UTC-4). Three congregations in Hawaii are in the Hawaii-Aleutian Time Zone (UTC-10). One congregation is in the Alaska Time Zone (UTC-9).

Comparing this to the table of congregations by regional fellowship, note that almost 9 in 10 Disciple congregations are in the Eastern and Central Time Zones. These congregations serve in locations with a higher concentration of Disciples. That is, one’s Disciple neighbors are closer. What unique challenges to service and connection arise in sparser settings where that distance is greater?

Diverse Settings

Disciple congregations are diverse in many ways, and location contributes to that diversity. The congregations themselves are diverse in size, style, and culture, and they serve in a wide range of cultural contexts. Looking beyond the 90% of congregations in one portion of the continental U.S. can help us further recognize and appreciate the diversity and complexity of the church.

The post Disciples on the Map appeared first on Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

Listed congregations have voice in the life and ministry of the church by sending voting delegates to the General Assembly and to regional assemblies. To maintain standing, ministers hold membership in one of these congregations. Listed congregations—if they have an EIN, that is, a federal tax ID—participate in the General Assembly’s 501(c)(3) group exemption. 

The number of listed congregations is not static. Regions welcome new congregations and confirm closures and withdrawals throughout the year. Any count of listed congregations represents a snapshot in time, such as when reporting closed on March 31.

Examining ALEX data also indicates which congregations reported Yearbook statistics for a given year. Unlike the dynamic count of listed congregations, a congregation’s ALEX Yearbook report reflects activity during a given year. 

For 2023, 1,647 congregations reported Yearbook statistics to ALEX. That represents 57% of the listed congregations.

In addition to reporting Yearbook statistics, congregations also demonstrate connection with the wider church by giving to Disciples Mission Fund and other forms of Disciples outreach. ALEX data provides information on connected congregations by indicating which congregations reported Yearbook statistics, gave to Disciples outreach, or both. For 2023, ALEX data shows 2,032 connected congregations.

This does not tell the whole story of a congregation’s connection with the wider church, though. For example, church members may attend regional assemblies, camps, or other events beyond the local congregation. These forms of connection are not reflected in ALEX data.

For 2023, 70% of the listed congregations demonstrated connection as defined here, and 81% percent of the connected congregations reported Yearbook statistics.

The post Listed, Reported, and Connected Congregations appeared first on Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

ALEX is also the web-based application used to access and maintain information in the database. A user account is required to log into the application and access the ALEX database.

Congregation Directory

In the printed Yearbook and Directory of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the Statistical Report of Congregations served as the official list of affiliated congregations. The Congregation Directory in ALEX now serves that purpose. It provides the authoritative list of the 2,900 congregations currently in covenant relationship with the Disciples.

Historical Data

The ALEX database contains historical Yearbook data since 2000 for congregations. ALEX subscribers are able to view and download historical data from the application. The available statistics include congregational participation, congregational stewardship, and Disciples Mission Fund giving.

ALEX subscriptions provide additional reporting. For example, subscribers can review the ranking reports and two-year comparison reports that appeared in the printed Yearbook. Subscribers can also download historical Yearbook statistics for any congregations that can be used for personal research and analysis.

Data Warehouse

Within the ALEX application, congregations and regions can maintain data about congregations, such as location and contact data. Congregations also enter their annual Yearbook statistics through the application. Congregation and Yearbook data are native to ALEX.

However, ALEX also presents information from other databases. ALEX receives minister information from the minister database at Disciples Home Missions (DHM). It also receives data for giving to Disciples Mission Fund and other offerings from the database at Treasury Services.

Minister and giving data are not native to ALEX. That is, a congregation or region cannot update this information from within the ALEX application. This data has to updated in its native location at DHM or Treasury Services. ALEX retrieves and stores this data–it “warehouses” the data–for presentation and reporting.

With ALEX, congregations, regions, and general ministries have access to data that can inform the ways we serve from our doorsteps to the ends of the earth.

The post What Is ALEX? appeared first on Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

Cultivates the covenantal relationship between congregations, regions, and general ministries.

Demonstrates a covenantal commitment to the ministry we share.

Contributes to understanding trends in membership, attendance, outreach, and giving.

Helps your region and general ministries understand your congregation so that they can provide appropriate support and resources.

Provides statistics that contribute to important research for the Disciples in the U.S. and Canada as well as all mainline denominations.

Provides verification when applying for loans or grants.

Creates a historical statistical record for your congregation that will outlive current generations.

The post Seven Reasons to Complete the ALEX Yearbook Report appeared first on Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).