The National Congregation Study has been released via Duke University, and it contains helpful information to those of us trying to understand what is happening in and around churches in North America. The publication gives bullet points of the "most important observations."

Check it out:

• Most congregations are small but most people are in large congregations.
• Worship services are becoming more informal.
• Congregational leaders are still overwhelmingly male.
• Predominantly white congregations are more ethnically diverse.
• Congregations embrace technology.
• Congregations and clergy are getting older.
• Congregations' position in the social class structure remains unchanged.
• Congregations' involvement in social service activities remains unchanged.
• Only a small minority of congregations describe themselves as theologically "liberal," even within the Protestant mainline.
• Congregations are more tolerant and inclusive than we might expect them to be, even when it comes to hot-button issues.
• There has been no significant increase in congregational conflict since 1998.
• Congregations' involvement in political activities is largely unchanged since 1998.

This is fascinating research and very well presented.

You can download the entire PDF here where the observations above are unpacked.
Check out the NCS blog here.