Jehovah's Witnesses: Fastest Growing Christian Group in the US

by davidl7 52 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

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  davidl7

  The Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches statistics listed the Jehovah's Witnesses as the fastest growing Christian group in the US for 4 years in a row (the 2008-2011 Yearbooks). The 2011 Yearbook reported a 4.37% growth rate (based on 2010 membership figures). According to the 2012 Yearbook, the growth of the Jehovah's Witnesses was 1.85%, falling into 4th place. The Roman Catholic Church and the Southern Baptist Convention reported a decline in membership. The group with the largest growth rate listed in the 2012 yearbook was the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, showing a 20% increase; however, according to a footnote in the yearbook, unlike the other churches, that growth reflects figures for that group going back a several years, to 2006, not a 1-year percentage change. If ranked by the one-year percentage, the Assemblies of God denomination would be in first place with a 3.99% gain, better than the average less than 1-percent gain in prior years. Jehovah's Witnesses would then be in 3rd place; and the National Baptist Convention on 2nd place with a 3.95% increase reported in the 2012 Yearbook (the National Baptist Convention reported decreases or no increases in the prior 4 years).

  When adding all percentage figures in the last 4 years, the fastest growing Christian church is the Jehovah's Witnesses with a 10.37% growth rate increase, and the Assemblies of God falls in 2nd place with a 6.74% increase. Most of the other major churches, especially mainline Protestant churches, have consistiently reported decreases in the last 4 years.
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  Resistance is Futile

  A group that forces its followers to actively recruit new members is growing? I'm shocked.

  Thank you for pointing out that the Assemblies of God church was the fasting growing church last year, despite the fact that they don't recruit on such a massive scale as the Watchtower. Surely that must mean something! I'm going to go run out and attend their church. Maybe it's the one "true" religion!
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  cedars

  All the other Christian groups in the US must be doing appallingly if they fail to beat a growth rate of 2.68% (last year).

  Cedars
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  slimboyfat

  I think it is similar in the United KIngdom where most churches are in steep decline. The only churches that are perhaps faring better than JWs in the UK are also Pentecostal groups. These churches largely consist of immigrants which explains why they are not declining like most other UK churches.
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  moshe

  JWs will always imagine they are numero uno--

  
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  binadub

  David17:

  When adding all percentage figures in the last 4 years, the fastest growing Christian church is the Jehovah's Witnesses with a 10.37% growth rate increase, . . .

  Why are you totalling the percentages? That creates a false conclusion.

  That total should be divided by 4 (years) to get the correct average (10.37 ÷ 4 = 2.59%) per year.
  Most of that could be from their own children growing of age to get baptized.

  Or am I missing something--anyone?

  ~Binadub
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  slimboyfat

  could be from their own children growing of age to get baptised.

  Same for other religions.

  Whether JWs are the fastest growing religion in the US or not (I find it hard to believe there are not at least some other groups growing faster) the fact is that JWs are doing better than most other churches in the western world. Whereas most churches are declining in the west JWs are at least remaining stable or growing slowly.
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  binadub

  SBF:
  Does this conflict with the stats that show that 2/3s leave the JWs. From what I've read, converts are increasingly rare.

  ~Binadub
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  slimboyfat

  I don't know. Whether it's through retention of JW children or conversion or a mixture of both, the fact is that JWs are doing better than most other churches in the west at keeping their numbers up.
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  cedars

  binadub - well spotted about adding the percentages.

  Cedars