The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) experienced significant growth in 2024, marking a positive trend after years of fluctuation.
According to the denomination’s latest five-year statistical summary published by the Administrative Committee, the church saw increases in several key areas, including membership, baptisms, professions of faith, and giving. Out of a total of 1,667 congregations, 992 submitted data revealing a 1.84% rise in total membership, which reached 400,751, up from 393,528 in 2023.
This period’s data, spanning from 2020 to 2024, indicates upward momentum across almost all major categories. Professions of faith by adults jumped by 22.34%, climbing from 4,641 in 2023 to 5,678 in 2024, while adult baptisms increased by 16.56%, totaling 3,083. Children baptisms also saw a healthy rise of 14.08%, with numbers growing from 4,859 to 5,543. Infant baptisms, though growing at a slower pace, increased modestly by 2.4%, totaling 5,541 for the year.
Financial contributions from PCA congregations hit a record high of $1.29 billion in 2024, representing nearly a 16% increase from the previous year’s total of $1.11 billion. Per capita giving also saw a significant boost, rising more than 13% from $3,644.06 to $4,118.98.
Donations directed toward denominational ministries increased as well; contributions to the General Assembly causes grew by 12.06%, reaching almost $24 million, and total benevolences, which include missions and mercy ministries, climbed to $170.29 million, a 4.73% increase.
While the total number of presbyteries decreased slightly by one to 87, the number of churches increased to 1,667 from 1,645 the previous year. Teaching elders increased from 5,347 to 5,520, and the number of ministerial candidates also rose sharply from 572 to 767. These statistics suggest that the PCA is continuing its recovery from the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In comparison, the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), the largest evangelical denomination in the U.S., reported approximately 12.72 million members in 2024, reflecting a 2% decline from the roughly 12.98 million members in 2023. Despite this decline in membership, baptisms within the SBC increased by about 10%, totaling 250,643 in 2024, up from 226,919 the year before.
Meanwhile, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) continues to face challenges. A December 2024 report noted that the denomination had around 1 million fewer active members than it did in 2009, highlighting a persistent downward trend.
Similarly, thousands of churches have disaffiliated from the United Methodist Church (UMC) since 2019, driven largely by disagreements over the church’s stance on homosexuality. Over 7,000 congregations have left the UMC during this period.
Despite these shifts within individual denominations, surveys indicate that the overall share of Americans identifying as Christians appears to be stabilizing after decades of decline. A recent Pew Research Center survey, which sampled nearly 37,000 U.S. adults, shows that slightly more than six in ten Americans still identify as Christian, suggesting the trend of declining religious affiliation may be plateauing for now.
