Methodist Church Survey Aims to Stop Membership Decline

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Traditional Protestant denominations have struggled for decades with declining memberships and shrinking budgets.

Now the third-largest denomination in the country, the United Methodist Church is trying to learn more from its most successful congregations.

The church commissioned an ambitious survey of nearly all its 33,000 churches in the U.S.

Church leaders say they have found key factors in common among its thriving churches.

Some of them are an active lay leadership, inspirational pastors and a mix of traditional and contemporary worship services.

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Online:

The United Methodist Church: www.umc.org