Rainer on Leadership The Burge Report: The Assemblies of God: Why This Denomination Is Defying Gravity
Only one denomination in the United States has grown consistently. Drawing from nearly fifty years of data, Ryan Burge’s analysis shows a denomination that has not only maintained stability but also demonstrated resilience, growth, and demographic vitality. From membership and attendance trends to conversion inflows and racial diversity, the Assemblies of God presents a statistical profile that is almost entirely positive, even after the shock of COVID-19. While many traditions wrestle with long-term decline, the Assemblies of God appears poised for continued strength.
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- Long-Term Growth Is Real and Remarkably Steady. Since 1975, the Assemblies of God has experienced consistent 2–3% annual membership growth, rising to over 3 million people today. Even after a significant pandemic-related dip, membership has returned near pre-COVID levels, demonstrating organizational resilience.
- Attendance Is Rebounding Faster Than Expected. Worship attendance nearly doubled from the 1970s to the mid-2010s, then dropped sharply in 2020. But since 2021, the rebound has been strong. Current projections show the AG could completely erase the COVID-era attendance gap by 2029 or 2030—an almost unheard-of recovery curve among U.S. denominations.
- Conversions Have Surged to Near-Historic Highs. Water baptisms and Spirit baptisms all spiked post-2020. In 2024 alone, the Assemblies of God reported roughly 530,000 new additions, one of the highest totals in their recorded history. Water baptisms alone jumped from 94,000 to 169,000, about 3,250 every weekend nationwide.
- The AG Now Mirrors the Racial Makeup of the U.S. The Assemblies of God has become one of the most ethnically diverse denominations in the nation. As of 2024, only 55% of members are White, while Hispanic representation has risen to 23%, and Black membership to 11%. Statistically, the racial composition of the AG now almost perfectly matches that of the United States as a whole.
Resources:
- “The Vanishing Church: How the Hollowing Out of Moderate Congregations Is Hurting Democracy, Faith, and Us” by Ryan Burge (affiliate link)
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