A large non-denominational church network in New England has reached a conclusion that should trouble mainline Protestant denominations: the major determining factor in whether individuals and families will attend and ultimately join and support a church is whether a congregation already contains a critical mass of people like those individuals and families. Nobody wants to be an outlier.

Existing literature on revitalization and growth suggests strategies and programs that existing congregations can adopt to change and grow, but they are silent on how existing congregational characteristics factor into the ability of churches to adopt those strategies. As mainline congregations grow older and less diverse, and the growth in American Protestantism is found in non-denominational churches, this question is more pressing than ever: how much does the existing congregation matter?

My proposed project will examine mainline congregations that have beaten the odds of mainline Protestantism and experienced growth and flourishing during the past decade. These churches are both large and small, and they are located across the country, from Texas to Seattle to the Northeast. I will interview congregational leaders, longstanding members and those of recent vintage, and I will worship with them as a person in the pews. While I will principally study congregations of my own Episcopal Church, I believe those churches’ experiences will be applicable to congregations across the traditional American denominations, which share significant challenges.

My final project will be a brief and accessible field guide for mainline congregations seeking to seed growth. It will also address denominational leadership and provide guidance on which congregational characteristics suggest potential growth, and in which areas, and the absence of which characteristics suggest that a wholesale congregational reboot may be a prudent act of stewardship.