October 27, 2025

The Burge Report: The Biggest Little Denomination: The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA)

25 minutes

Sam and Ryan Burge take a deep dive into the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), unpacking the denomination’s unique growth patterns, size distribution, and robust recordkeeping. They explore surprising statistics on membership trends, baptisms, and church finances—revealing why some PCA congregations thrive while others remain stagnant. The co-hosts highlight key takeaways for understanding both the strengths and challenges of one of America’s most data-rich evangelical denominations.

High Data Compliance and Transparency – Nearly 90% of PCA churches submitted membership and financial data within the last three years, making their statistics unusually reliable compared to other denominations.

Outsized Influence – The PCA has a significant presence on social media and a large-scale influence on evangelical Christians through their pastors and leaders (e.g., Tim Keller).

Strong Growth but Uneven Distribution – While the PCA adds 1.5–2% to its membership rolls annually, growth is concentrated in larger churches, with many smaller congregations stagnant or declining.

Predominantly Small to Mid-Sized Churches – The median PCA church has 117 members, and roughly 75% have 250 or fewer, mirroring national church size trends.

Mixed Baptism Trends – About one-third of PCA churches had zero adult baptisms last year, and nearly half had fewer than three infant baptisms, signaling challenges in evangelism and retention.

Financial Realities – Church income strongly correlates with size, averaging about $3,500 in additional annual income per new member, but with notable outliers in both wealth and scarcity.

Resources:

Upward Sports

Upward Sports: Pickleball

Life Application Study Bible

Church Connect

Tyndale House Publishers

“A Deep Dive into the Presbyterian Church in America” by Ryan Burge

Ryan Burge

“The American Religious Landscape” by Ryan Burge (affiliate link)

Church Answers Platinum Membership

FREE Research Report! New Surprising Insights

The Hope Initiative

Episode Sponsors:

A Variety of Sports for Every Church. From basketball, cheerleading, soccer, flag football, volleyball, and baseball to running for adults — and now pickleball — Upward Sports offers flexible league options to fit your church’s unique needs.

Exciting News: Did you hear? Pickleball is the newest offering – Claim your TWO free net sets, while supplies last! Launched in April, pickleball is perfect for middle and high schoolers — easy to learn, quick to set up, and highly engaging. Whether you prefer a traditional league or a flexible practice-and-play format, Upward Sports is here to guide you. Plus, to help you get started, Upward is offering two free Pickleball Net Sets when you create your league. But act fast — only 200 sets are available! Schedule your call today and build a purposeful pickleball ministry in your community. Learn more at www.Upward.org/Pickleball where you can access an equipment list, court dimensions, and more.

Be the Neighborhood Church. Want to create a welcoming space for families? Upward Sports provides a first-class, well-organized, and fun league experience. As a self-sustaining ministry, any church — big or small — can get started. Customize your outreach ministry today.

Learn more at www.Upward.org/ChurchAnswers.

Experience profound transformation as you encounter God through the pages of the Life Application Study Bible. Bible engagement is not just about knowing Scripture; it’s about living it out! The Life Application Study Bible deepens your connection with God and inspires a transformed life through a growing relationship with Christ.

Crafted by dedicated scholars and pastors, the Life Application Study Bible is filled with thousands of study resources that increase understanding so you can experience Scripture’s life-changing power. For readers from nine to ninety and beyond, the Life Application Study Bible is designed to help you find true heart transformation.

Learn more here.

The post The Burge Report: The Biggest Little Denomination: The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) appeared first on Church Answers.

...more

View all episodes

By Thom Rainer

4.8

461461 ratings