Mainline churches show vitality in western states

Christian Century, June 19, 2002

The national demographic face of U.S. congregations has changed because of a dramatic shift westward since 1945. Newly organized congregations in the Rocky Mountain and Pacific Coast states have increased steadily to the point where, in the decade of 1990-2000, the western quadrant of the country took the lead in establishing new congregations, replacing the historical dominance of the South in that regard,

Putting more church roots down out west, however, hasn't generally produced a new breed of congregations or pioneered changes in church life, according to a Faith Communities Today (FACT) study, released last year and undergoing continuing analysis. The one exception, however, was in the mainline, or oldline, Protestant congregations that show new vitality in that region.

When comparing "the West and the rest," FACT researchers expected to see western congregations somehow different from their counterparts in the South, North Central and Northeast regions. But the overall data from 41 participating denominations and faith groups in the research revealed surprisingly little distinctiveness in the profile of western congregations--whether it is members' educational level, age of members, commuting distance or lifelong identification with a particular denomination. Also very similar are the congregations' emphasis on contemporary worship (as measured through the use of electronic instruments), ties to a denomination, membership size, financial size and optimism about the future.

But looking only at oldline Protestants in the West, researchers found their churches are very different from their counterparts in other regions. The graph provides a few key examples. For example, 20 percent of oldline Protestant congregations in the West always or frequently use guitars in worship, compared with only 8 percent of oldline Protestant churches in the rest of the country. For denominations and faith groups other than oldline Protestants, there is no significant difference between the West and the rest of the country.

Oldline Protestantism is known for social ministries and the relatively new mainline congregations in the West are no exception. They are more likely to be so engaged than oldline Protestants elsewhere. Overall, FACT findings demonstrate that oldline congregations in the West are better connected and adapted to their social contexts than oldline congregations in the rest of the country--and, perhaps, more vital.

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