Difference between revisions of "Church growth"

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Worldwide, there are over 13 million [[Mormons]], nearly the same as the number of [[Jews]].
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Worldwide, there were 17,255,394 members of [http://comeuntochrist.org The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints] by the end of 2023. [https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2024/06/08/charts-growth-church-jesus-christ-latter-day-saints-1830-2023-member-temples-wards-stakes/]
  
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In the United States the [[LDS]] Church is the 4th largest individual denomination with over 5.5 million members, a population about equal to the number of [[Muslims]].  The Church had a healthy growth rate in the United States of 1.74% during 2006. (To see comparative sizes of the 25 largest U.S. churches, go to the National Council of Churches website [http://www.ncccusa.org/news/060330yearbook1.html])
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[[image: Mormon_Congregation.jpg|350px|thumb|right|alt=Mormon Congregation|frame|As of the end of 2023, there were 17.25 million Latter-day Saints worldwide]]  
  
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Only 12% of all Mormons live in [[Utah]]. Most Mormons do not live in North America.
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In June 2024, the Church News released graphics showing the growth of the Church from membership of six individuals on April 6, 1830—the day the Church was organized—to the end of 2023.  
  
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Aside from the United States, other regions with significant Mormon populations include Mexico and Asia (1 million members each), South America (3 million members), and Central America and Europe (about half a million each). The rapid growth the Church has been experiencing in Africa, where there are already a quarter of a million members, is particularly exciting.
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[[Image:membership statistic-2023.png|500px|thumb|center|frame|Church News graphic]]
  
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After [[Catholicism|the Catholic Church]], the LDS Church is the largest sect in ten U.S. states.
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Growth within the Church contributes to the increase in wards and branches, stakes, and [[temples]].
  
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== Religious Alliances ==
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[[Image:membership-wards-2023.png|500px|thumb|center|frame|Church News graphic]]
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One way to classify religions is by grouping them into religious alliances. Religious alliances include those churches with central leadership and doctrinal uniformity (e.g. the Catholic Church) as well as those that lack central leadership. An example of the latter type is the “Assembly of God alliance,” which is comprised of many churches that are generally classified together even though each congregation has autonomy to teach as it pleases.
 
  
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The LDS Church is the 15th largest religious alliance in the world and the 8th largest international religious alliance.
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[[Image:membership-stakes-2023.png|500px|thumb|center|frame|Church News graphic]]
  
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== Religious Bodies ==
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[[Image:Gallup-religious-attendance.png|400px|thumb|frame|Courtesy Gallup|right]]
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When one considers only religious bodies, i.e. those religions with central leadership and doctrinal unity...
 
  
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The LDS Church is the 9th largest religious body in the world and the 4th largest international religious body.
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A Gallup poll released in March 2024 showed that in the United States "most religious groups have also seen a decline in regular attendance at religious services over the past two decades." However, "Among major U.S. religious groups, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also widely known as the Mormon Church, are the most observant, with two-thirds attending church weekly or nearly weekly." [https://news.gallup.com/poll/642548/church-attendance-declined-religious-groups.aspx]
  
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(Note that for some religions, particularly the Eastern Orthodox Church, classification as a unified religious body was hard to determine.)
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From 2011 to 2021, the highest growth rates in Church membership occurred in Africa and the Philippines. The Church overall grew from 14.13 million members in 2011 to 16.81 million in 2021 for an 18.92 percent increase. The number of members in Africa more than doubled during the 10 years. The Philippines, Central America, Brazil, and Pacific Islands had increases of more than 25 percent.[https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/africa-philippines-lead-church-growth-over-past-10-years#:~:text=From%202011%20to%202021%2C%20the,doubled%20during%20the%2010%20years.]
  
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== Ubiquity ==
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A statement released through the Church newsroom read, "despite its increasing numbers, the Church cautions against overemphasis on growth statistics. The Church makes no statistical comparisons with other churches and makes no claim to be the fastest-growing Christian denomination despite frequent news media comments to that effect. Such comparisons rarely take account of a multiplicity of complex factors, including activity rates and death rates, the methodology used in registering or counting members and what factors constitute membership. Growth rates also vary significantly across the world. Additionally, many other factors contribute to the strength of the Church, most especially the devotion and commitment of its members.
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It is also interesting to consider those religions that are the most ubiquitous (meaning most likely to have a meeting place "near you").
 
  
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The LDS Church is the 5th most ubiquitous religious alliance in the world and the 4th most ubiquitous religious body.
 
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== Worldwide Statistics ==
 
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LDS Worldwide Statistics (2004)[http://www.allaboutmormons.com/number_of_mormons.php]:
 
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Tonga: 46.0%.
 
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Samoa: 36.0%.
 
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American Samoa: 24.1%.
 
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Niue: 12.0%.
 
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Kiribati: 10.7%.
 
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Tahiti: 7.8%.
 
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Cook Islands: 8.3%.
 
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Marshall Islands: 7.0%.
 
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Chile: 3.3%.
 
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Palau: 2.1%.
 
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USA: 1.9%.
 
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Uruguay: 2.5%.
 
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New Zealand: 2.35%.
 
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Guatemala: 1.34%.
 
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Honduras: 1.6%.
 
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Bolivia: 1.6%.
 
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Ecuador: 1.2%.
 
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Peru: 1.4%.
 
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Belize: 1.0%.
 
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USA: 5,503,192.
 
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Mexico: 980,053.
 
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Brazil: 897,091.
 
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Chile: 534,754.
 
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Philippines: 537,014.
 
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Peru: 402,230.
 
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Argentina: 339,929.
 
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United Kingdom: 180,095.
 
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Guatemala: 196,777
 
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Canada: 166,442.
 
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Worldwide, there are over 25,000 LDS congregations, and the basic Church curriculum text is available in over 175 languages. The Church creates about two new congregations every day.
 
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The majority of Mormons worldwide (55%) are not Caucasian.
 
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There are estimated to be between 350,000 and 500,000 members of the Church with African heritage, though exact numbers are unknown because the Church does not keep track of the race of its members. About 150,000 live in Africa, 10,000 (or more) in Brazil, 20,000 in the Caribbean, and perhaps as many as 50,000 in the U.S.
 
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70% of Mormons worldwide were not born into the faith.
 
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== U.S. Statistics ==
 
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LDS U.S. Statistics (2006):
 
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Utah: 71.76%.  (11/2007 news reports in Utah declare a new low of 60.7%) [http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/244242/]
 
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Idaho: 27%.
 
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Wyoming: 11%.
 
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Nevada: 7.1%.
 
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Arizona: 6.0%.
 
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Montana: 4.6%.
 
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Hawaii: 5.1%.
 
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Oregon: 4.0%.
 
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Washington: 3.9%.
 
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Alaska: 4.2%.
 
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Utah: 1,720,434.
 
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California: 761,763.
 
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Idaho: 376,661.
 
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Arizona: 346,677.
 
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Washington: 241,908.
 
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Texas: 243,957.
 
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Oregon: 141,482.
 
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Nevada: 165,498.
 
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Colorado: 126,118.
 
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Florida: 123,209.
 
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Some surveys suggest that the LDS Church has the highest U.S. attendance and service rates.
 
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== Growth Rate ==
 
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The growth of the LDS Church is among the fastest of any denomination on the planet.
 
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In the last 50 years, membership has increased ten-fold.
 
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For the last 15 years, an average of 800 people have joined the LDS Church every day.
 
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Absolute growth is greatest in Latin America, but the rate of growth is highest in Africa and the former Soviet bloc.
 
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In 1984, a prominent non-LDS researcher estimated that our membership would top 265 million by 2080 and said we would be the “first 'new' major world religion since Islam.” So far growth has exceeded his model's predictions.
 
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[[Image:ChurchGrowth.gif]]
 
  
 
==See Also==
 
==See Also==
 
* [[Membership Statistics | Complete worldwide membership statistics]]
 
* [[Membership Statistics | Complete worldwide membership statistics]]
 
* [[Membership Statistics U.S. | Membership statistics by state]]
 
* [[Membership Statistics U.S. | Membership statistics by state]]
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== External Links ==
 
== External Links ==
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For sources, see [http://www.allaboutmormons.com/demographics.php AllAboutMormons.com].
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*[https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/looking-beyond-statistics-the-souls-behind-the-numbers The Souls Beyond the Statistics]
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*[http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/commentary/looking-beyond-statistics-the-souls-behind-the-numbers The Souls Beyond the Statistics]
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*[https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2024/04/06/2023-statisical-report-church-of-jesus-christ-april-2024-general-conference/ Church growth in 2023]
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*[https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/mormon-lay-ministry A thorough explanation of the lay ministry of the LDS Church]
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*[https://www.thechurchnews.com/2021/8/4/23265500/latter-day-saints-countries-with-the-most-members/ Church News, "What are the countries with the most Latter-day Saints?"]
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*[https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2024/04/12/compare-church-statistical-reports-2021-2022-2023/ Church News, "Compare Church statistical reports from 2021 to 2023"]
 
[[Category:Mormon Life and Culture]]
 
[[Category:Mormon Life and Culture]]
  
 
[[es:Crecimiento Mundial de la Iglesia]]
 
[[es:Crecimiento Mundial de la Iglesia]]
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[[fr:Croissance de l'Église]]
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[[it:Crescita internazionale della chiesa]]

Latest revision as of 22:13, 12 June 2024

Worldwide, there were 17,255,394 members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by the end of 2023. [1]

Mormon Congregation
As of the end of 2023, there were 17.25 million Latter-day Saints worldwide

In June 2024, the Church News released graphics showing the growth of the Church from membership of six individuals on April 6, 1830—the day the Church was organized—to the end of 2023.

Church News graphic

Growth within the Church contributes to the increase in wards and branches, stakes, and temples.

Church News graphic
Church News graphic
Courtesy Gallup

A Gallup poll released in March 2024 showed that in the United States "most religious groups have also seen a decline in regular attendance at religious services over the past two decades." However, "Among major U.S. religious groups, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also widely known as the Mormon Church, are the most observant, with two-thirds attending church weekly or nearly weekly." [2]

From 2011 to 2021, the highest growth rates in Church membership occurred in Africa and the Philippines. The Church overall grew from 14.13 million members in 2011 to 16.81 million in 2021 for an 18.92 percent increase. The number of members in Africa more than doubled during the 10 years. The Philippines, Central America, Brazil, and Pacific Islands had increases of more than 25 percent.[3]

A statement released through the Church newsroom read, "despite its increasing numbers, the Church cautions against overemphasis on growth statistics. The Church makes no statistical comparisons with other churches and makes no claim to be the fastest-growing Christian denomination despite frequent news media comments to that effect. Such comparisons rarely take account of a multiplicity of complex factors, including activity rates and death rates, the methodology used in registering or counting members and what factors constitute membership. Growth rates also vary significantly across the world. Additionally, many other factors contribute to the strength of the Church, most especially the devotion and commitment of its members.


See Also


External Links

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