 Much of this infograph is pretty straightforward. There are a few interesting morsels, however. Sixteen churches reported zero attendance: eight of them have an assigned pastor. Add in the 45 churches reporting at least one person in attendance but less than twenty total, and only four churches are dual charges (one pastor for two churches). 38 churches or about 10% do not have an assigned pastor. Seventy percent (70%) of churches have an assigned pastor and an reported average attendance of less than 75 for worship. Median attendance at a church with an assigned pastor is 54. What does this say about the sustainability over the long term for paying a pastor/family a viable living wage? I've heard some say that 45 in attendance is enough to support a pastor. As a former bivocational pastor of a church that size, I know there was a choice between a full-time pastor or a decent facility. I would put the viability of a full-time ministry at a church around at least 75 in attendance. There are 122 churches that fit this category--that's only one-third of the churches in this megaregion. In one of the fastest growing populations in North America. This. Is. Sobering. Half of the assigned pastors have been at their churches since 2011. Thirteen of the sixteen female pastors have been in place since 2009. Thirty percent of pastors have been in place for less than four years. I will probably say this again, but this megaregion is one of the fasting growing populations in North America. We have 318 pastors in 346 active congregations. To reach 25 million people. The harvest, as Jesus said, is plentiful, but the workers are few. That's one senior pastor per 78,616 people in this megaregion. NOTE: This research only includes the assigned pastor as the senior pastor, and does not include paid or volunteer staff/associate pastors.  Resources:
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