December 16, 2024

[102] Data, demographics and church growth with Ryan Burge

29 minutes

It’s a data-driven conversation with Ryan Burge, a social scientist and minister, who explores the intricate factors influencing church growth and decline. Burge sheds light on how external demographics, strategic church planting, and the balance between divine calling and data-driven decisions shape religious communities. The episode also covers clergy satisfaction, positive chaplaincy experiences, the evolving religious landscape, and how Substack fosters meaningful audience engagement. Don’t miss this insightful discussion on the complexities of religion in modern society.

In this episode:

(00:00) Guide pastors to think like social scientists.

(06:39) Churches largely apolitical; misconceptions about religion exist.

(08:18) Context influences church growth more than efforts.

(17:16) Bridging religious and non-religious through impartiality.

(18:45) The numbers readers care about.

(23:45) Email remains essential, resilient against platform changes.

(28:23) Recommended podcast episodes for digital strategies.

Find more notes and connect with MyCom:

www.resourceumc.org/mycom-podcast

#ChurchGrowth #ReligiousTrends #RyanBurge #MyComPodcast #Demographics #StrategicPlanning #ClergySatisfaction #Substack #DataDrivenDecisions #ReligionAndSociety #ReligiousData #Chaplains #CommunityBuilding #AmericanReligion #Podcast

Keywords: church growth, religious trends, Ryan Burge, MyCom Podcast, demographics, church planting, clergy satisfaction, chaplaincy, data-driven decisions, religion and society, Substack, social scientist, religious data.

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