Snapshot
of PC(USA) Pastoral Leadership Trends
| Our
Churches |
1980 |
1990 |
2000 |
2006 |
| Total Membership |
3,272,518 |
2,856,713 |
2,525,330 |
2,267,118 |
| Total number of churches |
11,730 |
11,501 |
11,050 |
10,903 |
| % of churches 100 members
or less |
|
39% |
43.8% |
48.3% |
| w/out installed pastoral leadership |
|
3183 |
3897 |
4573 |
| Median size congregation |
|
137 |
120 |
105 |
| Churches without pastoral leadership |
|
|
|
2028 |
| Pastoral
Leadership |
1980 |
1990 |
2000 |
2006 |
| Candidates |
2113 |
1337 |
1182 |
1437 |
| Inquirers |
0 |
810 |
1115 |
1408 |
| Number of New Ordinations |
546 |
405 |
367 |
375 |
| Total Number
Ministers of Word and Sacrament |
20,133 |
20,338 |
21,065 |
21,360 |
| Active Ministers |
|
15,313 |
13,989 |
13,693 |
| Installed Pastors |
|
9106 |
7990 |
7657 |
| In Specialized Ministry |
|
2909 |
2290 |
2271 |
| Ordained, Not Retired, Not
in Validated Ministry |
|
2004 |
2439 |
2650 |
| Racial Ethnic Candidates/Inquirers |
|
146 |
223 |
483 |
Women Candidates/Inquirers
(*Candidates only) |
504 + ?* |
588* |
629 |
1451 |
| Ordained Women |
569 + ? |
2257 |
3853 |
4735 |
| Women Head-of-Staff Pastors
of Congs of 500 or more |
|
16 |
49 |
54 |
? - PCUS Stats not available
| Certified
Christian Educators |
1980 |
1990 |
2000 |
2006 |
| Cert. Christian Educators |
208 |
351 |
544 |
448 |
| Cert. Associate Christian
Educators |
21 |
86 |
135 |
175 |
| Enrolled Education Assistants |
0 |
25 |
50 |
28 |
| |
1980 |
1990 |
2000 |
2006 |
| Commissioned Lay Pastors |
** |
Tracking began 1998 |
208 |
702 |
** - UPC(USA) "lay preachers" not tracked
Church Leadership Connection/The PC(USA) Call System
- In 1994 CRS had 944 positions and 1697
persons seeking them.
- In 1999 CRS had 1272 positions and 942
persons seeking them.
- In December 2002 CRS has 1580 positions
and 1618 persons seeking them. About 500 of those persons
are limited to service in 1 or 2 states.
To see statistics for today, see the Real Time Applicants and Positions Report.
As the number of candidates for ministry increases through recruitment efforts, serious attention must be given to the decreasing size of our congregations and economic pressures that result in fewer congregations that can compensate a pastor adequately.
Statistics supplied by the Office of Research Services and The Office of Vocation.
|
