Columbus has a vibrant church community, but is it keeping up with the population?
Nationally, the number of people attending churches has declined steadily through the years. Columbus has seen the same trend, although in the city, that decline is not as extreme as in other parts of the country. Nonetheless, churches collectively should be intentional in reaching their communities and congregations. There is room to grow for both new and existing churches. Some denominations have seen their churches and congregations swell through the years, while others have wrestled with declining numbers. Together, the message of Jesus can grow to positively impact our community.
Helpful insight into some of the factors that affect the key metric and have an impact on this reality. Select an area on the map to view neighborhood-level stats.
Scriptures we’ve collected to help you consider this reality through the lens of Christianity.
Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
Suggestions to help you connect this reality to your prayers.
Jesus prayed for the unity of all future believers, that they might be one just as Jesus and God the father were one. By the unity of the Church, Jesus said that people would believe in him and know he was in truth the son of God. In a world full of divisions, pray for unity among the Church.
Leading a church is often a difficult and surprisingly lonely role. Pray for Pastors, who regularly face criticism for preaching the gospel. Pray for wisdom in their decisions and trusted friends and colleagues to help them lead well.