ChurchVenture: September 2008

North America needs more churches:

85% of churches are plateaued or declining ^[ref]
Each year 3,750 churches close. Only 1,300 start ^[ref]
80% of Americans are "Christian" ^[ref], only 21% relate to church ^[ref]
FACT: Not enough churches exist to reverse the current trend
Starting new churches was the strategy of Jesus' first followers ^[ref]
Studies show new churches are the most effective way to engage the unchurched & re-energize existing churches ^[ref]
More reasons for starting new churches [PDF article]

Churches worldwide are growing:

China went from 1.5 to 90 million Christians in the last 40 years ^[ref]
Christianity in Vietnam grew 600% over the last decade ^[ref]
In the last 100 years Korea went from 1% to 40% Christian ^[ref]
In the last 100 years Africa went from 9% to 55% Christian ^[ref]

Churches benefit society because:

Church volunteers give over $6 billion to charities each year ^[ref]
In the last 30 years church volunteers helped build houses for over 1 million low income people ^[ref]
Couples who consistently relate to a church have the lowest divorce risk ^[ref]. Kids raised inside marriage disproportionately have better health, education & suffer less from substance abuse & violence ^[ref]
Church volunteers helping prisoners complete faith programs dramatically reduces re-incarceration to 8%, vs. non-completes 36.3% ^[ref]
Youth with high church involvement have lower rates of serious crime than those from "good areas" ^[ref]
Churches support over 4,000 crisis pregnancy centers ^[ref]
Too many other things to mention