Ordained AG minister here. Loved the article. Thanks for writing it.
One thought about the stats that puzzle you: we wouldn't consider baptisms or spirit baptisms inflows. They're more things that happen to people who are in our orbit. In an ideal scenario, someone would begin attending one of our churches and become a Christian, they would then be baptized in water, they would also at some point be baptized in the Holy Spirit, and they would keep coming to church and eventually become a member. If that all happened in a single year, then that same person would appear in the data you're pulling from in multiple categories: they would count as a conversion, a baptism, a spirit baptism, an adherent, and also a member.
Also, the AG statistician's office is very easy to contact if you (or any researchers reading this) want to do a deeper dive on the data. You can reach them at numbers@ag.org
I'm not really an AG person, but I've been going to AG churches for the past 9 years and I work with a lot of them for my job. I can say in Western Washington that they have a finger on the pulse of what people want out of church more than any other denomination. The ones that I know aren't Trumpy, but they are certainly theologically conservative. There is also about zero openly Pentecostal stuff going on (which surprised me, as a relative outsider). They are tech savvy, positive, upbeat, full of great communicators and amazing musicians. Apparently, that's what a lot of people want, at least around here.
Proud to be raised in Assemblies of God, and now an AG pastor myself. There is a ton of variety and diversity within our 'fellowship", which is the phrasing we used instead of 'denomination."
The reason for the big jump in 1995 was the Pensacola revival, which was at an AG church, and which I believe outflowed to other AG churches. It brought in thousands of new people.
Interesting data. Especially as denominations, especially AG pastors and flocks have hard lined their 'mission and vision' agendas so heavily towards Christian Nationalism and those movements. The next couple decades for American Christianity will be fascinating and possibly the most difficult we have faced since Civil War; but this go round, with real time technology. O God, how we need You and how we need a revival of goodness and kindness.
"In the 1979 data, 72% of all AG adherents were also regular attenders. That’s insanely high!"
When I read this I wondered how the attendance compared to the LDS church. (No, I'm not Mormon, nor do I think they're in any way theologically close.) Just wondering how identification matches up with behavior.
Fascinating find! I attended an AG youth group in college and found it to be a profound experience.
Five questions:
1. Does AG have a tendency towards prosperity gospel theology?
2. Does AG have any particular posture towards technology (particularly the internet)?
3. Does AG require specific behaviors of members, such as participation in some kind of non-Sunday activity?
4. Is the AG posture toward "the world" closer to "we want to be separate" or "we want to be relevant?"
5. Does the AG emphasize or invest in any particular way around youth and families?
These questions are all related to practices/approaches taken by other types of growing religious groups. There seems to be a grab back of things that "have been working" for religious groups lately, some of which are timeless and some of the moment. I'm wondering which of the items in that bag they're using, and if there's anything they pulled from the bag I haven't seen before.
I wonder about the additions to denominations, regardless of who they are. It has been shown from demographic studies from The Barna Group, Pew Research, and others that about 85% of Christians in the pews are raised in a Christian home or with strong Christian influence. That leaves 15% coming in from the outside, as it were. I count myself amongst this group. I wonder if that is enough evangelistic growth for the Church. Is there any outreach to the “Nones?” To people of other faiths? To our atheist friends? Can the average Christian make an evangelical appeal to anyone? Can they effectively answer WHY they are Christian?
4th gen AG here (inactive): any chance this growth is related to the political sorting among denoms? I recall your earlier data that AG is at the top of the list in votes for Trump.
Ordained AG minister here. Loved the article. Thanks for writing it.
One thought about the stats that puzzle you: we wouldn't consider baptisms or spirit baptisms inflows. They're more things that happen to people who are in our orbit. In an ideal scenario, someone would begin attending one of our churches and become a Christian, they would then be baptized in water, they would also at some point be baptized in the Holy Spirit, and they would keep coming to church and eventually become a member. If that all happened in a single year, then that same person would appear in the data you're pulling from in multiple categories: they would count as a conversion, a baptism, a spirit baptism, an adherent, and also a member.
Also, the AG statistician's office is very easy to contact if you (or any researchers reading this) want to do a deeper dive on the data. You can reach them at numbers@ag.org
That's super helpful re: inflows, Glen.
Every denomination seems to do it differently, so it's hard to keep up with all the nuances.
I think the weird growth statistics are because AG allows and counts rebaptisms.
I'm not really an AG person, but I've been going to AG churches for the past 9 years and I work with a lot of them for my job. I can say in Western Washington that they have a finger on the pulse of what people want out of church more than any other denomination. The ones that I know aren't Trumpy, but they are certainly theologically conservative. There is also about zero openly Pentecostal stuff going on (which surprised me, as a relative outsider). They are tech savvy, positive, upbeat, full of great communicators and amazing musicians. Apparently, that's what a lot of people want, at least around here.
Proud to be raised in Assemblies of God, and now an AG pastor myself. There is a ton of variety and diversity within our 'fellowship", which is the phrasing we used instead of 'denomination."
The reason for the big jump in 1995 was the Pensacola revival, which was at an AG church, and which I believe outflowed to other AG churches. It brought in thousands of new people.
Interesting data. Especially as denominations, especially AG pastors and flocks have hard lined their 'mission and vision' agendas so heavily towards Christian Nationalism and those movements. The next couple decades for American Christianity will be fascinating and possibly the most difficult we have faced since Civil War; but this go round, with real time technology. O God, how we need You and how we need a revival of goodness and kindness.
Thanks for the deep dive, Ryan.
"In the 1979 data, 72% of all AG adherents were also regular attenders. That’s insanely high!"
When I read this I wondered how the attendance compared to the LDS church. (No, I'm not Mormon, nor do I think they're in any way theologically close.) Just wondering how identification matches up with behavior.
Thanks again!
Fascinating find! I attended an AG youth group in college and found it to be a profound experience.
Five questions:
1. Does AG have a tendency towards prosperity gospel theology?
2. Does AG have any particular posture towards technology (particularly the internet)?
3. Does AG require specific behaviors of members, such as participation in some kind of non-Sunday activity?
4. Is the AG posture toward "the world" closer to "we want to be separate" or "we want to be relevant?"
5. Does the AG emphasize or invest in any particular way around youth and families?
These questions are all related to practices/approaches taken by other types of growing religious groups. There seems to be a grab back of things that "have been working" for religious groups lately, some of which are timeless and some of the moment. I'm wondering which of the items in that bag they're using, and if there's anything they pulled from the bag I haven't seen before.
I wonder about the additions to denominations, regardless of who they are. It has been shown from demographic studies from The Barna Group, Pew Research, and others that about 85% of Christians in the pews are raised in a Christian home or with strong Christian influence. That leaves 15% coming in from the outside, as it were. I count myself amongst this group. I wonder if that is enough evangelistic growth for the Church. Is there any outreach to the “Nones?” To people of other faiths? To our atheist friends? Can the average Christian make an evangelical appeal to anyone? Can they effectively answer WHY they are Christian?
4th gen AG here (inactive): any chance this growth is related to the political sorting among denoms? I recall your earlier data that AG is at the top of the list in votes for Trump.
Probably a lot of truth to that, really.
In memory serves, I think that the AG is the most politically homogeneous large denomination.
That's interesting. I would have thought it was the AME.
That tracks with anecdata at the congregational level.