Even at the end of this century, the median-size religious congregation has about 75 regularly participating adults, according to data collected in 1998 for the ongoing National Congregations Study, funded by the Lilly Endowment. Only about 10 percent of congregations have more than 350 regularly participating adults, said Mark Chaves, a sociologist at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Ariz., and the study's principal investigator. Although most congregations are small, the majority of people attend congregations of 400 or more, he said. For example, congregations of 350 or more perform 85 percent of the social services that religious organizations provide, he said. Internally, large churches have activities that vary from drama groups to youth mission trips - programs that appeal to young families in particular, Feille said.
People today tend to be more consumers when they shop for the needs for their families.
But there are still plenty who prize the characteristics of small churches. And there are some notable characteristics, Feille said. In many instances, the church has a bi-vocational pastor, such as Mount Horuhm Missionary Baptist Church in Grapevine, near Fort Worth. The minister there, Richard Montgomery, is also a transportation supervisor with the U.S. Postal Service. In addition, church members value their friendships more than they prize the number of Bible study groups or youth programs offered, Feille said.