In this issue—
Surveying Churches III: Facts that Tell a Story

Introduction

In two recent issues of the Review, we focused on research data from the Emmanuel Gospel Center’s 2005-2006 survey of churches in Boston. In this issue we present some facts to ponder that have surfaced from those surveys, and some of the raw data behind those facts. Making observations about the changes and trends in the Christian church community helps us to better see the big picture of what God may be doing in our region and in our time as he continues to build his church. How do observations made here match or differ from the trends you see in your community?

Recent Emmanuel Research Review issues on this topic:

• Issue No. 18 — June 2006 — Surveying Churches I: How to do a Church Survey
• Issue No. 19 — July-August 2006 — Surveying Churches II: The Changing Church System in Boston

More useful links:

• With the July-August issue, we also published a table of new churches planted in Boston between 2001 and 2006.
• To search basic church data for Boston, Cambridge and Brookline, go to the Emmanuel Gospel Center’s online Boston Church Directory at http://www.egc.org/churches/.

As always, your feedback is appreciated!

Facts to Ponder from the Boston Church Directory, 2006

Numbers of churches

• There are over 550 Christian churches in Boston.
• There is a combined total of 670 Christian churches in the cities of Boston, Cambridge, and Brookline at the heart of the Metro Boston area (Boston – 555, Cambridge – 95, and Brookline – 20). (See note 1.)
• In the last century the number of churches in Boston (not including Cambridge or Brookline) has doubled and is now at about 555. The vast majority of this increase took place in the last 30 years during what is being called the “Quiet Revival.” (See 2. chart of founding dates. Click on "view image")

Denominational diversity

• There are at least 104 distinct Christian denominations in Boston, Cambridge, and Brookline. (See 3. table of denominations.)
• The early 20th century reality of New England mainline Protestant and European Catholic churches dominating the church community is fading.
• Pentecostal and Baptist churches represent over half the new churches planted since 2001 in Boston, Cambridge, and Brookline.
• Many of these denominations are engaged in interdenominational partnerships both locally and worldwide.

Ethnic diversity

• Over 100 nationalities are represented in Boston, Cambridge, and Brookline churches. (See 4. table of nationalities.)
• There are more African American churches than any other ethnic church, including White churches.
• After African-Americans, Whites, and Latinos, the four next most common major ethnic identities of churches are Haitian, multi-ethnic (churches with a broad mix of ethnicities), Asian, and Brazilian, in order from most common.
• The churches in Boston and Cambridge are becoming internally more diverse and multi-cultural. 
• The Latino church is very diverse internally, representing most or all Latin American nations.
• In the last 5 years, Latinos have planted the most new, non-English congregations—approximately one out of every 4 new congregations.
• The more than 50 Haitian congregations in Boston and Cambridge combined evidence the continuing growth of the Haitian church. In 1968, there were no Haitian churches in Boston and Cambridge and only 2 Haitian Bible studies. Since 2001, Haitians have planted 9 new churches in Boston and Cambridge. (See 7. table of Haitian churches.)

Neighborhoods

• Roxbury and South Dorchester have more new churches than other Boston neighborhoods, with 16 new churches in each. In Cambridge, 16 new churches were established since 2001.
• Allston/Brighton, formerly the Boston neighborhood lowest in church-to-population ratio a decade ago, continues to experience new church planting with 7 new churches planted since 2001.

Language

• There are over 30 distinct language groups having church services in their own language. The 4 most common non-English language groups spoken in services are Spanish, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, and Korean, in order from most represented. (See 5. table of languages.)
• More than 100 congregations use Spanish in their worship services, with 19 new churches planted since 2001 reporting Spanish language worship services.
• Approximately 50% of the churches planted since 2001 are bilingual or worship in a language other than English. (See 6. table of new churches reporting languages other than English.)

Shared space

• Over 100 church buildings or meeting locations in Boston, Cambridge, and Brookline are shared by 2 or more churches.
• Some churches are sharing space with up to 6 other churches of multiple languages.

Notes and Resources

1. The number 670 represents churches that identify themselves as Christian and are located inside the city limits of Boston, Cambridge, and Brookline. Data are derived from surveys and interviews conducted over several years by the Emmanuel Gospel Center. Because not all churches responded to our surveys and some were unavailable for interviews, and because the population of churches changes as churches start, move, close or merge, the data provide a snapshot look at the status of churches in these three cities as of summer 2006.
   
   
2. Pie Chart: Founding dates of Boston and Cambridge churches existing in 2006. View jpg image. (Opens jpg image in new browser window.) This pie chart gives a graphic comparison of the numbers of churches still existing in Boston that were started in sequential 40-year periods in Boston’s history.

Two thirds of these churches (416 churches, 64%) were founded during the Quiet Revival period (after 1965). Only 234 (36%) of the currently active churches were founded before 1966. Of course many churches which started in the 19th century and in earlier decades have closed over the years. However, it is remarkable that almost two-thirds of our present churches are relatively new churches. Our research and knowledge of the churches enables us to place the dates of founding of a number of churches in the general period of the Quiet Revival, even though we may not know the specific year they started. For example, all of the Haitian churches except one started after 1970. Likewise, almost all of the Hispanic churches started after 1965.

Only 9.1% of today’s active churches started in the 40-year period of 1926-1965. More churches were planted and still remain from the 40-year period prior to that. Currently there are 80 churches (12.3% of all active churches) which have founding dates between 1886 and 1925. And 8% percent of our active churches date back to the period of 1846-1885. There were several churches started just before this period as well. Forty-three churches remain from the entire period before 1846 (1630-1845). While there is a natural attrition of churches over the years with corresponding new developments, the present rate of change is a major shift in the Boston church community.

3. Table of denominations reported in Boston, Cambridge, and Brookline churches, 2006.

4. Table of nationalities reported in Boston, Cambridge, and Brookline churches, 2006.

5. Table of languages used in worship services in Boston, Cambridge and Brookline in 2006.

6. Table of new churches in Boston and Cambridge, 2006, reporting a language other than English used in worship. View table. (Opens new browser window.)
   
   
7. Table of Haitian churches in Boston and Cambridge, 2006. View table. (Opens new browser window.) This table shows the names, street addresses and neighborhoods of Haitian churches in Boston and Cambridge as of 2006.
   
   
8. Numbers of Churches in Boston and Cambridge, 1993-2006. This table shows the growth in numbers of churches in this time period for the three major branches of Christianity.

9. Chart: Number of churches in the major branches of Christianity in Boston, 1900-2006. View chart. (Opens jpg image in new browser window.) This chart graphically illustrates the changes in the relative growth of the numbers of Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox churches in Boston during the last century and to 2006.

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