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Quiet crisis: Who will lead those small churches all over the United States?

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Quiet crisis: Who will lead those small churches all over the United States?

One of the crucial services the Rev. Tony Marr provides as leader of the Higher Ministries consulting firm is to connect young pastors – fresh out of seminaries and Bible colleges – with churches that need new leaders.

But there's a problem. Most of these churches seeking pastors have fewer than 150 members and are considered "small churches" in the Protestant marketplace. Many of them have around 50 active members or less. It takes about 80 to 90 active members, in most church traditions, to pay a full-time pastor's salary.

"This is a conversation I have almost every week," said Marr, who is based in Johnson City, Tennessee. "At any given time, we have three or four small churches looking for pastors. … It seems like nobody wants to go to those small churches. Nobody wants to serve God there."

When Marr asks young pastors to describe their ideal "first job," most say that they want to serve as an associate pastor on the staff of a truly large church – one with 1,000 members or more. In other words, they want to prepare to lead churches of that size, or larger.

"They have no intention of taking a church with 45 or 50 or 60 active members," he said, reached by telephone. "Many of these young pastors would rather work in coffee shops than lead that kind of church, even if these jobs would let them preach several times a week while ministering to real people and real families. They would rather work part-time, or be volunteers, at the large churches that they see in their futures."

This is a crisis that denominational leaders will have to face, he explained, for a simple reason. A recent survey from Faith Communities Today (.pdf) found that seven out of 10 American congregations have fewer than 100 people attending their main worship services. The average church has 65 members in the pews on Sunday. Digging deeper, in some denominations – especially shrinking mainline bodies – most congregations struggle to pay full-time salaries.

Backing that up, a Baptist Press report stressed that the "most recent National Congregations Study (NCS) found the median congregation in the U.S. welcomes 70 regular participants, including adults and children, and has an annual budget of $100,000."

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Challenge for Leo XIV: Battles over Latin and worship traditions are not going away

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Challenge for Leo XIV: Battles over Latin and worship traditions are not going away

On the first Sunday of his papacy, Pope Leo XIV stood on the central Loggia of St. Peter's Basilica and did something that shocked some Catholics – he chanted the Marian prayer Regina Caeli in Latin.

"Regina caeli, laetare, alleluia," he sang, leading to the crowd's response, "Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia." In English, that would be: "Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia. For He whom you did merit to bear, alleluia."

While many consider Latin chant controversial, the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music immediately launched a project called "Let's Sing with the Pope." It offers "video tutorials on social media to help the People of God sing along with the Holy Father during the upcoming major liturgical celebrations," said Father Robert Mehlhart, on the institute's Instagram account.

The goal, he added, is to "make the rich heritage of Gregorian chant accessible to all."

So far, Pope Leo XIV has not addressed ongoing debates about restrictions on use of the Tridentine Mass, often called the "traditional Latin Mass." Bishops around the world have been pulled into these battles after the 2021 release of the Pope Francis apostolic letter "Traditionis Custodes (Guardians of Tradition)."

In 2023 remarks to Jesuits in Hungary, Pope Francis said stronger restrictions on use of the pre-Vatican II rite were necessary because of a state of "indietrismo" – or "backwardness" – caused by a "nostalgic disease" among many Catholics.

"After all the necessary consultations, I decided this because I saw that the good pastoral measures put in place by John Paul II and Benedict XVI were being used in an ideological way, to go backward," he added, in a transcript released by a Jesuit journal.

While use of the Latin Mass remains a flashpoint, a controversy in the rapidly growing Diocese of Charlotte, North Carolina, has raised questions about the status of other liturgical traditions and symbols.

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Does the Anglican Church of Canada have a future?

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Does the Anglican Church of Canada have a future?

In the year of our Lord 1967, the Anglican Church of Canada had 1,218,666 members and 272,400 worshippers on a typical Sunday.

In a recent report, the church found 294,382 members on parish rolls and 58,871 people attending worship services.

”The religious institution many of us have long known and loved does not look now as it did even 20 years ago, and it will not look the same 20 years from now," noted a report from church leaders, "Creating Pathways for the Transformational Change of the General Synod (.pdf)."

Waves of declining statistics will "evoke grief, fear and longing. …This report does not seek to reverse current trends, but to respond to them to empower a much smaller church to thrive as it proclaims the gospel today and in the future."

Obviously, the "church is changing. … But that change is not the same as the end of the church. That change may be uncomfortable, but being uncomfortable is not the same as the end of the church," noted the Rev. Neil Elliot of the Province of British Columbia, in the report's executive summary. His X profile says he is the "official stats nurd" for Canadian Anglicans.

The "Creating Pathways" text noted that, while pew-level statistics have plunged 75%, the denomination still has 1474 parishes, compared to 1849 in 1967. Meanwhile, the number of bishops has increased from 36 to 39.

While promising to offer "prophetic imagination" and a "refusal to ignore difficult conversations," the report focuses on cuts and consolidations to increase efficiency, perhaps through remote work, AI advances and better communication networks. The bottom line: The church's 30 dioceses, four provinces and two national administrative bodies have "been sustained with a drastically decreased base of support." The General Synod staff has, in recent decades, been cut from 94 to 39.

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Catholics see symbols and signals of unity, as Pope Leo XIV begins his papacy

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Catholics see symbols and signals of unity, as Pope Leo XIV begins his papacy

For more than 26 years, Pope John Paul II traveled the world with a silver pastoral staff topped with a dramatic, abstract crucifix crafted by the 20th-century artist Lello Scorzelli.

This symbol of papal ministry was first used by Pope Paul VI at the Second Vatican Council finale and has been carried on occasion by subsequent popes. But, year after year, Mass after Mass, it became a powerful symbol of the life of John Paul II – now St. John Paul II – during the second longest papacy in history.

John Paul II used this staff during his inauguration Mass and so did Pope Leo XIV, during the May 18 rite that fell on the 105th anniversary of John Paul II's birth. The new pope also wore an iconic chasuble – the outer liturgical cloak – that is now considered a relic of St. John Paul II.

With the fisherman's ring and the lambswool pallium over his shoulders, these links to John Paul II helped Leo XIV stress the need for unity and core Catholic traditions.

"The Apostle Peter himself tells us that Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, and has become the cornerstone. Moreover, if the rock is Christ, Peter must shepherd the flock without ever yielding to the temptation to be an autocrat, lording it over those entrusted to him," Leo XIV told the flock of 150,000 assembled in St. Peter's Square.

"Brothers and sisters, I would like that our first great desire be for a united Church. … This is the missionary spirit that must animate us; not closing ourselves off in our small groups, nor feeling superior to the world."

But Leo XIV faces painful challenges, even while calling for unity.

Raymond Arroyo of the Eternal Word Television Network, and Fox News, tweeted on X: "Pope Leo at his Inaugural Mass, in a subtle reference to his predecessor, says 'Peter (the Pope) must shepherd the flock without ever yielding to the temptation to be an autocrat.' … He then pledged to be a source of unity."

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Pope Leo XIV will have to face the gospel according to his German bishops

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Pope Leo XIV will have to face the gospel according to his German bishops

The days after a pope's death are hectic and it's a hard time for Vatican officials to examine complex, controversial documents.

Nevertheless, the bishops of German – two days Pope Francis died on April 21 – announced guidelines for handling blessings for same-sex couples and other "irregular" relationships. The "Blessing gives strength to love" summary mentioned, with a nod to the Vatican, that these rites "should be designed in such a way that there is no confusion with the liturgical celebration of the sacrament of marriage."

The instructions, however, noted the need to consider a "couple's wishes" about the setting, choosing details "in a theologically meaningful way." Also, the "aesthetics, including music and singing, should express the appreciation of the people who ask for the blessing, their togetherness and their faith." Appropriate "biblical texts should be recited" and interpreted.

Blessing prayers should proclaim: "Those God blesses, upon whom he 'makes his face shine' " are blessed to thrive "under God's loving gaze."

Then, on May 2, a committee of German bishops and laity announced plans to discuss a text entitled "Respecting decisions of conscience in matters of birth control." On May 3, Bishop Georg Bätzing – chair of the German bishops' conference – voiced his full support for the ordination of women in Catholic ministry.

Welcome to the Chair of St. Peter, Pope Leo XIV.

While outsiders have focused on the political impact of the 267th pope – an American who has served in Peru and Rome – insiders have searched the career of Robert Francis Prevost for hints as to how he will handle conflicts about Catholic worship and doctrine. Germany is ground zero.

"Both orthodox Catholics and modernists have been celebrating, while there have been naysayers on both sides, too," noted Vatican analyst Serre Verweij, writing for Rorate Caeli (Drop down, O heavens). "This reflects the fact Prevost was touted as a 'compromise candidate' and pushed by strong prelates on both sides. Both the orthodox and the modernists seem to think, or hope, that the new Pope actually leans more in their direction. … So, to put it crudely, the real question is: who got played?"

Texts – past and present – produced by Prevost are being analyzed and reanalyzed by his supporters and critics. 

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Pollsters need to start asking more detailed questions about American Catholic life

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Pollsters need to start asking more detailed questions about American Catholic life

Theology news rarely sends shock waves through Catholic offices around the world, but this headline did: "Just one-third of U.S. Catholics agree with their church that Eucharist is body, blood of Christ."

The key word in that famous Pew Research Center survey was "transubstantiation," which the report defined as the belief that the "bread and wine used for Communion become the body and blood of Jesus Christ."

It mattered, of course, whether the Catholics in this survey went to Mass. Nearly 70% of self-proclaimed Catholics said the consecrated bread and wine were mere "symbols," but 63% of those who reported weekly Mass attendance affirmed transubstantiation. Insiders noted that this meant that 37% of observant Catholics didn't embrace this crucial church doctrine.

"Any effort to measure human behavior is fraught with peril and complications," noted John C. Green of the University of Akron, reached by telephone. A trailblazer in studies of politics, pulpits and pews, Green has often served as a Pew Research consultant.

"If people say they go to Mass once a week, how certain can you be that they're telling the truth? … When it comes to doing surveys about what believers say and what they do, you can never ask too many questions."

Now, as Catholics prepare for a new pope, Pew has released new insights into lines of tension and division among American Catholics. Five years after the "transubstantiation" study, a new survey includes more evidence that "U.S. Catholics" disagree with many core Catholic doctrines and, thus, want a "more inclusive" church.

The tricky question, again, was how to define "U.S. Catholic," since the survey said:

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Parsing the words of an emerging "pope able" cardinal from Jerusalem

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Parsing the words of an emerging "pope able" cardinal from Jerusalem

In the spring of 2023, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem addressed a conference about a dizzyingly complex subject – Christianity in the ancient Middle East, as well as the future of its many churches and traditions.

This included Catholic interactions with Judaism and Islam, as well as trends in a region shaped by "extreme secularism and religious fundamentalism," noted Latin Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa (.pdf here). Also, he stressed that Catholic leaders must grasp that the faith of many believers "no longer has deep roots," even in ancient churches.

"Their Christianity … is often a Christianity of identity, of tradition," said Pizzaballa, who has served for decades in the Holy Land. "We can no longer be satisfied with the Sunday presence of our faithful. It no longer has the strength to counter the tsunami of globalized secularism, which enters, through the Internet or other forms, even in the Bedouin tents or in the most remote villages."

In some ways, the faith "identity" found in the fragile Middle East is stronger than in many Western cultures, he said. But it's no longer acceptable to say, "Well at least it's not like Europe!" and move on.

Later that year, Pope Francis elevated Pizzaballa into the College of Cardinals – the first cardinal residing in the modern State of Israel.

When the Latin Patriarch heard the Easter Monday news about the death of Pope Francis, he packed his bags. As he departed to Rome, his coworkers sang, in Arabic: "May the Lord guide your steps with His wisdom, fill your heart with His spirit, and be with you if it's His prayer that you should lead His church."

Since then, the cardinal's name has been included in almost every list – in secular and Catholic media – of "papabile," or "pope able" – candidates to fill the Chair of Saint Peter.

Thus, journalists and church insiders have dissected sermons and addresses by Pizzaballa and other popular "papabile," searching for clues about their stands on doctrine, worship and pastoral issues in the wake of the tumultuous Francis papacy. It doesn't hurt that the 60-year-old cardinal – that's young for a papabile – has a colorful name, which can be translated as "Peter the baptizer" plus "pizza dancer," as well as family ties to an Italian soccer star.

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Puzzle: Many Catholic churches are in rapid decline, while others are booming

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Puzzle: Many Catholic churches are in rapid decline, while others are booming

For a century, there was one certainty in France – the population was 97% Catholic.

That changed in the 1960s, with survey numbers spiraling to the current plateau of 25%, while the "religiously unaffiliated" numbers in France soared to 53%.

Thus, it made headlines when the French Bishops Conference announced that 10,384 adults joined the church this Easter, a 45% increase over 2024. The sharpest rise in conversions was among students and young people, representing 42% of the adult catechumens.

Truth is, many parishes in Europe are growing. But others are dying. As one theologian noted in a 1969 German radio interview, Catholicism was entering a time of painful decline in the modern world. But that was not the end of the story. Easter follows Good Friday.

"From the crisis of today the Church of tomorrow will emerge – a Church that has lost much," warned Father Joseph Ratzinger. "She will become small and will have to start afresh more or less from the beginning. She will no longer be able to inhabit many of the edifices she built in prosperity. … In contrast to an earlier age, it will be seen much more as a voluntary society, entered only by free decision. As a small society, it will make much bigger demands on the initiative of her individual members."

This was, of course, the man who became Pope Benedict XVI, explained Pope Francis, during a 2022 meeting with his fellow Jesuits.

"Pope Benedict was a prophet of this Church of the future, a Church that will become … more humble and authentic and find energy for the essential," said Pope Francis, who died of a stroke on the Monday after Easter. His predecessor predicted the coming of a "Church that is more spiritual, poorer and less political: a Church of the little ones."

This Easter, large numbers of converts swimming the Tiber also made headlines in England, with The Daily Telegraph noting “The Extraordinary Resurgence of the Catholic Faith in Britain” while a report at The Times said, "“Catholics Outnumber Anglicans Two to One Among Gen Z Churchgoers.”

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What is an "Easter" movie? For some reason, that question is a bit of a puzzle

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What is an "Easter" movie? For some reason, that question is a bit of a puzzle

For more than 50 years ABC, with very few exceptions, has offered "The Ten Commandments" as the network's featured film for Holy Week.

Nothing says "Easter" like a showdown between Moses, the 13th Century Hebrew prophet, and the pharaoh Ramses the Great and the gods of Egypt.

"Why is The Ten Commandments an Easter movie? Part of me thinks they play it because people think it's a generic Christian movie," said Joe Wilson, one of the writers behind the "100 Movies Every Catholic Should See" website. "Digging deeper, you could make an argument for Moses as a messiah figure leading the Israelites out of Egypt into a kind baptism and resurrection, with their march through the Red Sea."

Director Cecil B. DeMille's 1956 classic – with Charlton Heston as Moses – is a biblical epic appealing to Judeo-Christian audiences. It's perfect for the Jewish Passover season that falls close to Easter, or Pascha on the ancient calendar of the Eastern churches. This is a year when Easter and Pascha fall on the same Sunday.

It is interesting, noted Wilson, that major networks have not, through the years, aired movies with traditional depictions of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, such as "The King of Kings." NBC has created "Jesus Christ Superstar Live!", the network's hip take on the popular, but also controversial, musical.

Easter movies often appear on cable channels, such as Turner Classic Movies offering "The Greatest Story Ever Told." Other options have included the four-part "Jesus of Nazareth" series directed by Franco Zeffirelli or the movie version of the musical "Godspell." It would certainly be controversial to feature Mel Gibson's R-rated "The Passion of the Christ" on basic cable, even the version without its most violent images.

Perhaps, said Wilson, a network should show "something like 'Ben-Hur.' That's another classic, also with Charlton Heston, and it contains some Holy Week imagery – although it doesn't show the resurrection."

This Easter movie puzzle is a perfect demonstration of why feature films are so important in American culture. However, what many viewers will consider a classic movie may be considered second-rate or even scandalous to others.