1. © 2004 by David T. Olson Sample - Not for Public Use1 The State of the Church in Wyoming 1990-2000 Dave Olson www.TheAmericanChurch.org

2. © 2004 by David T. Olson Sample - Not for Public Use2 This is a Sample Presentation It’s purpose is to give you an idea of what is happening to the Christian church in Wyoming, and what the complete “State of the Church in Wyoming” Powerpoint looks like. The goal is to encourage pastors and church lay leaders to view and discuss together the missional challenges in Wyoming that the Church faces. The complete Powerpoint is $14.95 and is available for immediate download at http://www.theamericanchurch.org/state/UWY20.htm http://www.theamericanchurch.org/state/UWY20.htm

3. © 2004 by David T. Olson Sample - Not for Public Use3 In 1996, polls taken immediately after the Presidential election revealed that 58% of people claimed they had voted, when in reality only 49% actually did. This is called the Halo Effect. People tend to over-inflate their participation in activities that create acceptability within their social group. For many decades, pollsters such as Gallup and Barna have reported that around 45% of Americans attend church every Sunday. But there is a religious Halo Effect. Actual attendance counts have shown that the percentage of people attending church on any given weekend is much lower than was previously thought.

4. © 2004 by David T. Olson Sample - Not for Public Use4 The Intent of this presentation is to answer and then expand on two key questions: “How Many People Really Attend Church in Wyoming Every Week?” “Is the Christian Church Going Forwards or Backwards in Influence in Wyoming?” As the data is analyzed county by county assessing a number of factors, a comprehensive picture of the State of the Church in Wyoming will begin to take shape.

5. © 2004 by David T. Olson Sample - Not for Public Use5 This study uses weekend church attendance as a more reliable and more immediate snapshot of Christian influence than membership. The following map shows the percentage of the population attending a Christian church on any given weekend in all 50 states in 2000. Wyoming has an attendance percentage of (14.0%), much lower than the national average (18.7%).

6. © 2004 by David T. Olson Sample - Not for Public Use6

7. 7 The Next Map shows the percentage of the population attending a Christian church on any given weekend in 2000 for each county in Wyoming.

8. © 2004 by David T. Olson Sample - Not for Public Use8 5.0% Lincoln 6.7% Uinta 7.1% Teton 9.8% Big Horn 10.3% Sublette 12.0% Weston 12.0% Albany 12.9% Fremont 13.2% Carbon 13.7% Crook 13.8% Sweetwater 14.2% Converse 14.9% Hot Springs 14.9% Goshen 15.0% Natrona 15.1% Sheridan 15.7% Park 16.4% Johnson 16.7% Laramie 17.4% Campbell 17.8% Platte 17.8% Washakie 18.5% Niobrara 0.0% to 13.2% 13.2% to 15.7% 15.7% to 19.5% Wyoming Counties - Percentage of Population Attending a Christian Church on any Given Weekend in 2000

9. © 2004 by David T. Olson Sample - Not for Public Use9 The Next 2 Maps show the population numbers for each county in Wyoming. The first map shows the population size of each county. The second map shows the growth or decline in population for each county from 1990 - 2000.

10. © 2004 by David T. Olson Sample - Not for Public Use10 2,407 Niobrara 4,882 Hot Springs 5,887 Crook 5,920 Sublette 6,644 Weston 7,075 Johnson8,289 Washakie 8,807 Platte 11,461 Big Horn 12,052 Converse 12,538 Goshen 14,573 Lincoln 15,639 Carbon 18,251 Teton 19,742 Uinta 25,786 Park 26,560 Sheridan 32,014 Albany 33,698 Campbell 35,804 Fremont 37,613 Sweetwater 66,533 Natrona 81,607 Laramie 0 to 10,000 10,000 to 25,000 25,000 to 81,608 Wyoming - 2000 Population by County

11. Complete Presentation has Map of 2000 Population Growth for Each County

12. © 2004 by David T. Olson Sample - Not for Public Use12 The Next 2 Maps show the ethnicity of Wyoming in 1990 and 2000. The third slide shows the growth or decline in the percentage of the population for each ethnic group.

13. © 2004 by David T. Olson Sample - Not for Public Use13

14. Complete Presentation has Graph of 2000 Ethnicity

15. © 2004 by David T. Olson Sample - Not for Public Use15

16. © 2004 by David T. Olson Sample - Not for Public Use16 The Next Graph shows the attendance numbers for the churches in Wyoming in 1990 and 2000. Evangelicals have increased slightly in the number of people attending their churches. Mainline and Catholics have declined. Unfortunately, as overall worship attendance has slowly increased, the population, on the whole, has grown. A more reliable standard for evaluating increasing or declining influence is the percentage of the population attending church on any given weekend, shown in the second graph. This graph reflects a decrease in the percentage of the population attending church in all categories.

17. © 2004 by David T. Olson

18. Complete Presentation has Graph of 1990 & 2000 Worship Percentage by Category

19. © 2004 by David T. Olson Sample - Not for Public Use19 The Next Graph is a Pie graph visualizing the percentage of the population at churches in each category in 2000. The “Absent” category indicates the percentage of the population that is not worshipping at a Christian church on any given weekend. The second graph shows the percentage gain or decline for each category in Wyoming in 1990 and 2000. There has been an 10% decline in the percentage of the population attending church.

20. © 2004 by David T. Olson

22. © 2004 by David T. Olson Sample - Not for Public Use22 The 2 Next Charts show the relative strength of the 8 major denominational groups in Wyoming. Catholics predominate in Wyoming, followed by Baptist and Lutherans, but there has been a significant decline in the percentage of the population attending each denominational family.

23. Complete Presentation has Pie Chart of 2000 Attendance by Denominational Families

24. Complete Presentation has Bar Graph of 1990 & 2000 Attendance by Denominational Families

25. © 2004 by David T. Olson Sample - Not for Public Use25 The Next Chart shows the 1990 & 2000 average church attendance by group for both this state and the nation. The second chart shows the 1990 & 2000 population per church for this state and the nation. Among states in 2000, Arkansas has the lowest population per church with 411 people per church, Utah is the highest at 4,586 people per church.

26. © 2004 by David T. Olson Sample - Not for Public Use26

27. Complete Presentation has Bar Graph of 1990 & 2000 Population per Church for State and Nation

28. © 2004 by David T. Olson Sample - Not for Public Use28 The Next 3 Maps show the attendance percentages for the Evangelical, Catholic and Mainline churches in each county in Wyoming in 2000.

29. Complete Presentation has State Map of 2000 Evangelical Attendance Percentage for each County

30. Complete Presentation has State Map of 2000 Mainline Attendance Percentage for each County

31. © 2004 by David T. Olson Sample - Not for Public Use31 2.1% Big Horn 2.7% Uinta 2.8% Teton 3.1% Hot Springs 3.1% Crook 3.2% Goshen 3.3% Lincoln 3.3% Fremont 3.5% Weston 3.7% Albany 3.8% Park 3.8% Sublette 4.2% Washakie 4.4% Niobrara 4.4% Natrona 4.4% Carbon 4.9% Platte 5.5% Converse 5.7% Campbell 5.8% Sheridan 6.2% Johnson 6.3% Laramie 7.8% Sweetwater 0.0% to 3.5% 3.5% to 4.9% 4.9% to 8.8% Wyoming Counties - Percentage of Population Attending a Catholic Church on any Given Weekend in 2000

32. © 2004 by David T. Olson Sample - Not for Public Use32 The Next Map shows the growth or decline in the percentage of the population attending a Christian church on any given weekend from 1990 to 2000 for each county. 4 counties grew in attendance percentage, while 19 counties declined.

33. Complete Presentation has State Map of 1990 - 2000 Christian Church Attendance Percentage Increase or Decline for each County

34. © 2004 by David T. Olson Sample - Not for Public Use34 The Next 3 Maps show the growth or decline of attendance percentages for the Evangelical, Catholic and Mainline churches in each county in Wyoming between 1990 and 2000. For evangelicals, 11 counties grew in attendance percentage, while 12 counties declined. For mainline churches, 1 counties grew in attendance percentage, while 22 counties declined. For Catholics, 9 counties grew in attendance percentage, while 14 counties declined.

35. Complete Presentation has State Map of 1990 - 2000 Evangelical Attendance Percentage Increase or Decline for each County

36. Complete Presentation has State Map of 1990 - 2000 Mainline Attendance Percentage Increase or Decline for each County

37. © 2004 by David T. Olson Sample - Not for Public Use37 -39% Lincoln -38% Big Horn -29% Goshen -28% Fremont -26% Carbon -25% Weston -19% Natrona -18% Sublette -17% Campbell -11% Washakie -9% Laramie -9% Sweetwater -5% Albany -5% Johnson 4% Niobrara 13% Hot Springs 15% Sheridan 21% Platte 22% Converse 24% Uinta 34% Teton 100% Park 113% Crook Wyoming Counties 1990 - 2000 Growth or Decline in Percentage of the Population at Worship in Catholic Churches on a Given Weekend Decline Increase

38. © 2004 by David T. Olson Sample - Not for Public Use38 The Final Chart shows the net gain in the number of churches in Wyoming in the past decade. There was a net gain of 0 churches. However, 58 churches were needed to keep up with population growth in Wyoming from 1990 - 2000.

39. © 2004 by David T. Olson

40. © 2004 by David T. Olson Sample - Not for Public Use40 The State of the Church in Wyoming... While church attendance has grown for Evangelicals, and declined for the Catholic and mainline church, the state population has grown. As a result, the percentage of the population attending church has decreased. This has resulted in a 10% loss in the state- wide percentage of the population that attended church between 1990 and 2000. A major factor in the overall decline is the insufficient net gain in the number of churches in Wyoming. Fifty- eight additional churches needed to have been started in the previous decade to compensate for the decline in percentage attendance.

41. © 2004 by David T. Olson Sample - Not for Public Use41 For More Information... Please go to www.theamericanchurch.org for additional information on the American Church.www.theamericanchurch.org 12 Surprising Facts about the American Church is available at http://www.theamericanchurch.org/ 12supm. htm http://www.theamericanchurch.org/ 12supm. htm The complete Wyoming Powerpoint presentation is available at http://www.theamericanchurch.org/state/UWY20.htm http://www.theamericanchurch.org/state/UWY20.htm

42. © 2004 by David T. Olson Sample - Not for Public Use42 Information on the Information The spiritual health of churches is multifaceted, and is obviously much more complex than an attendance trend can portray. However, following the example of St. Luke in the Book of Acts, who used the number of people who showed up at various events as a sign documenting the health and growth of the early church, I would suggest that attendance is the single most helpful indicator of health, growth and decline. Information has been compiled only for orthodox Christian groups – Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox. The Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses, Unitarian-Universalists and the International Churches of Christ have not been included. In addition, information about non-Christian groups has not been compiled. African American denominations publish very little that is statistical – often not even a list of current churches. This study used data from the 1990 Glenmary study on Black Baptist estimates and AME Zion churches, the average African American worship attendance (from the Barna Research Group), and a statistical model based on the population of African Americans in each county in 1990 and 2000. These were combined to come up with as accurate an estimate as possible. Independent church data is almost impossible to obtain. (There are actually fewer totally independent churches than is assumed. Most are part of some voluntary association, which typically keeps some records.) Data from the 1990 & 2000 Glenmary study on larger Independent churches (limited to over 300 in attendance) was used along with a statistical model to estimate the attendance at smaller independent churches. In Catholic churches, the definition of what constitutes membership varies with diocese and church, making numbers sometimes inconsistent from state to state and county to county. In addition to actual mass counts from 1/3 rd of Catholic parishes, membership information has been merged with attendance patterns from similar dioceses based on the size of the diocese and the region in which it is located. Orthodox Churches are included in Totals, but not included as a separate group because of smallness of size nationwide. Division into Evangelical and Mainline categories is based on the division by the Glenmary Study. This study only looks at how many people attend a Christian church on any given Sunday. The term ‘regular attender’ can be designated to mean someone who attends a Christian church on a consistent basis. Using a simple definition for ‘regular attender’ (attends at least 3 out of every 8 Sundays), between 23% and 25% of Americans would fit this category. Adding ‘regular attenders’ of non-orthodox christian churches and other religions to the totals would increase the percentage to 26% – 28%.

43. © 2004 by David T. Olson Sample - Not for Public Use43 This Presentation is based on a nationwide study of American church attendance, as reported by churches and denominations. The database currently has average worship attendances for each of the last 10 years for over 170,000 individual churches. It also uses supplementary information (actual membership numbers correlated with accurate membership to attendance ratios) to project the attendances of all other denominational and independent churches. All told, accurate information is provided for all 300,000 orthodox Christian churches. 1 1 This presentation looks only at people attending orthodox Christian churches. Approximately 3 million people attend non-orthodox Christian churches, and perhaps 3 million attend a religious service of another religion. Those ‘houses of worship’ would add another 35,000 churches in the United States and increase the 2000 percentage to 20.5%.

44. © 2004 by David T. Olson Sample - Not for Public Use44 For More Information... Presentations such as this are available for the largest 100 metropolitan areas, for each state and for the nation as a whole, as well as other presentations to show what is happening in the American church. Presentations are available either by direct download, CD or print. Please go to www.theamericanchurch.org for ordering information. To Contact Dave Olson, please email him at DaveTOlson@aol.com.