A Sample Presentation of
The State of the Church
in Kansas and the Kansas
City Metro Area
1990-2000
Dave Olson
www.TheAmericanChurch.org
© 2004 by David T. Olson
Sample - Not for Public Use
1
The first 19 slides are from the
“State of the Church in Kansas”
Powerpoint. The Complete Powerpoint is 42
slides in length, and is available at
http://www.theamericanchurch.org/state/UKS20.htm.
It includes maps of church attendance in every county, as
well as denominational charts, average size charts, church
planting charts, ethnicity charts and population growth
information.
© 2004 by David T. Olson
Sample - Not for Public Use
2
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.
© 2004 by David T. Olson
Sample - Not for Public Use
3
The Intent
of this presentation is to answer and then expand on two
key questions:
“How Many People Really Attend Church in
Kansas Every Week?”
“Is the Christian Church Going Forwards or
Backwards in Influence in Kansas?”
As the data is analyzed county by county assessing a number of
factors, a comprehensive picture of the State of the Church in
Kansas will begin to take shape.
© 2004 by David T. Olson
Sample - Not for Public Use
4
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. Kansas
has an attendance percentage (22.7%) that is
higher than the average for the nation (18.7%).
© 2004 by David T. Olson
Sample - Not for Public Use
5
Percentage of Population Attending a Christian
Church on any Given Weekend 2000
11.8%
14.0%
NH
WA
17.5%
11.2%
13.2%
29.4%
MT
23.2%
ND
ME
VT
MN
14.5%
OR
14.4%
11.4%
24.6%
28.0%
ID
14.0%
NY
WI
SD
20.6%
WY
20.3%
CA
20.3%
15.2%
UT
IL
CO
22.7%
KS
AZ
21.7%
IN
WV
22.1%
MO
OK
NM
22.7%
NC
TN
25.0%
28.6% 16.0%
DC
DE
17.7%
MD
23.3%
SC
26.7%
MS
TX
18.0%
VA
KY
AR
19.1%
CT
NJ
17.4%
21.5%
22.0%
17.8%
16.0%
OH
23.5%
14.3%
17.2%
PA
IA
3.1%
NV
RI
20.5%
24.7%
NE
14.8%
20.1%
MI
23.8%
9.7%
MA
15.5%
26.9%
AL
23.3%
GA
29.4%
LA
15.1%
AK
15.1%
13.4%
HI
0.0% to 14.4%
14.4% to 17.5%
17.5% to 20.6%
20.6% to 23.5%
23.5% to 29.4%
© 2004 by David T. Olson
Sample - Not for Public Use
FL
6
The Next Map
shows the percentage of the population
attending a Christian church on any given
weekend in 2000 for each county in Kansas.
Church attendance is higher in western
Kansas than in eastern Kansas.
© 2004 by David T. Olson
Sample - Not for Public Use
7
Kansas - Counties - 2000 Percentage of Population at Worship in All Christian
Churches on a Given Weekend Blue = Lowest Rose = Middle Beige = Highest
23.7%
Rawlins
19.8%
Cheyenne
18.1%
Sherman
23.9%
Wallace
17.2%
Thomas
32.9%
Logan
36.8%
Decatur
37.5%
Sheridan
33.8%
Gove
30.7%
Norton
35.3%
Graham
30.8%
Trego
33.5%
Phillips
36.2%
Rooks
52.1%
Smith
36.2%
Osborne
32.3%
Jewell
34.8%
Mitchell
19.7%
Lincoln
21.4%
Ellis
26.8%
Wichita
35.2%
Scott
26.1%
Lane
38.3%
Ness
25.7%
Rush
33.3%
Barton
20.7%
Rice
25.5%
Hamilton
28.5%
Kearny
19.7%
Hodgeman
20.2%
Finney
23.7%
Stanton
27.5%
Grant
31.9%
Morton
26.2%
Stevens
38.2%
Stafford
23.0%
Ford
25.9%
Kiowa
26.4%
Haskell
16.2%
Seward
49.6%
Meade
29.6%
Clark
28.3%
Clay
16.4%
Riley
47.8%
Comanche
27.7%
Pratt
40.1%
Barber
27.5%
Reno
15.5%
Pottawatomie
22.8%
Dickinson
27.8%
Saline
16.9%
Geary
19.5%
Wabaunsee
22.0%
Morris
81.5%
McPherson
23.5%
Brown
12.7%
Jackson
21.9%
Shawnee
21.7%
Doniphan
25.1%
Atchison
14.1%
Leavenworth
18.2%
19.8%
Jefferson
Wyandotte
14.4%
Osage
13.2%
Douglas
21.8%
Johnson
16.3%
Franklin
19.1%
Miami
34.8%
Anderson
21.3%
Linn
22.1%
Lyon
17.9%
Marion
29.7%
Chase
26.2%
Coffey
32.9%
Harvey
23.9%
Sedgwick
20.3%
Butler
37.1%
Kingman
35.4%
Harper
40.3%
Nemaha
17.4%
Ottawa
18.2%
Pawnee
29.9%
Edwards
39.6%
Gray
27.5%
Marshall
40.5%
Washington
29.1%
Cloud
33.9%
Russell
27.3%
Ellsworth
38.0%
Greeley
30.1%
Republic
23.4%
Greenwood
25.7%
Elk
24.3%
Sumner
21.4%
Cowley
24.8%
Chautauqua
28.0%
Woodson
29.3%
Allen
26.9%
Wilson
22.9%
Neosho
27.7%
Montgomery
23.7%
Labette
26.7%
Bourbon
19.7%
Crawford
22.7%
Cherokee
0.0% to 22.9%
22.9% to 29.6%
29.6% to 82.5%
The Next 2 Maps
show the population numbers for each county
in Kansas. The first map shows the
population of each county. The second map
shows the growth or decline in population for
each county from 1990 - 2000. Blue counties
declined in population.
© 2004 by David T. Olson
Sample - Not for Public Use
9
Kansas - Counties - 2000 Population
2,966
3,165
Rawlins
Cheyenne
3,472
5,953
Decatur
Norton
6,001
Phillips
4,536
Smith
3,791
Jewell
5,835
Republic
13,361
Marshall
6,483
Washington
10,268
6,760
Sherman
1,749
Wallace
8,180
Thomas
3,046
Logan
2,813
Sheridan
3,068
Gove
2,946
Graham
3,319
Trego
5,685
Rooks
4,452
Osborne
6,932
Mitchell
3,578
Lincoln
27,507
Ellis
8,822
Clay
1,534
Greeley
2,531
Wichita
5,120
Scott
2,155
Lane
3,454
Ness
3,551
Rush
10,761
Saline
2,085
Hodgeman
40,523
Hamilton
4,531
Finney
10,965
McPherson
2,406
Stanton
7,909
Grant
4,789
4,307
Haskell
451,086
Johnson
24,784
Franklin
28,351
Miami
8,865
8,110
Anderson
9,570
Linn
Harvey
7,673
Reno
Pratt
99,962
Douglas
32,869
64,790
452,869
9,647
3,278
Kiowa
16,712
Osage
3,030
Chase
59,482
32,458
Ford
Shawnee
Wabaunsee
Coffey
3,449
Edwards
5,904
Gray
6,885
Leavenworth
157,882
Wyandotte
35,935
Lyon
29,554
Marion
7,233
Pawnee
Stafford
Kearny
27,947
Geary
6,104
Morris
Rice
2,670
Jefferson
28,205
Barton
68,691
169,871
19,344
Dickinson
53,597
Jackson
18,426
6,163
Ottawa
7,370
Russell
6,525
Ellsworth
Pottawatomie
62,843
Riley
8,249
Doniphan
16,774
Atchison
12,657
18,209
Cloud
10,724
Brown
10,717
Nemaha
8,673
Greenwood
3,788
Woodson
14,385
Allen
15,379
Bourbon
Butler
Sedgwick
Kingman
3,261
10,332
Wilson
16,997
Neosho
38,242
Crawford
Elk
3,496
Morton
5,463
Stevens
22,510
Seward
4,631
Meade
2,390
Clark
5,307
1,967
Comanche
Barber
6,536
Harper
25,946
Sumner
36,291
Cowley
4,359
Chautauqua
36,252
22,835
Montgomery
Labette
22,605
Cherokee
0 to 5,307
5,307 to 14,385
14,385 to 452,870
Kansas - Counties - 1990-2000 Population Growth or Decline
-438
-78
-549
Rawlins
Cheyenne
Decatur
6
Norton
-589
Phillips
-542
Smith
-460
Jewell
-647
Republic
13,361
Marshall
-590
Washington
-755
-166
Sherman
-72
Wallace
-78
Thomas
-35
Logan
-230
Sheridan
-163
Gove
-597
Graham
-375
Trego
-354
Rooks
-415
Osborne
-271
Mitchell
-75
Lincoln
27,507
Ellis
-336
Clay
Greeley
-227
Wichita
-169
Scott
-220
Lane
-579
Ness
-291
Rush
151
Rice
-92
Hodgeman
7,453
282
Hamilton
4,531
Finney
73
Stanton
7,909
Grant
-576
32,458
Ford
9
Chase
24,784
Franklin
28,351
Miami
8,865
307
Anderson
9,570
Linn
Harvey
-174
Reno
Pratt
96,032
Johnson
32,869
64,790
49,207
-55
-382
Kiowa
16,712
Osage
18,164
Douglas
35,935
Lyon
29,554
Marion
8,902
4,307
Haskell
Leavenworth
-4,111
Wyandotte
Shawnee
Coffey
-338
Edwards
5,904
Gray
282
Wabaunsee
-94
Morris
-322
Pawnee
Stafford
Kearny
-2,506
Geary
Saline
-740
McPherson
68,691
18,426
Jefferson
-1,177
Barton
Jackson
8,895
19,344
Dickinson
53,597
-240
Pottawatomie
6,163
Ottawa
-465
Russell
-61
Ellsworth
-4,296
Riley
115
Doniphan
-158
Atchison
12,657
18,209
Cloud
-404
Brown
271
Nemaha
381
Greenwood
-328
Woodson
-253
Allen
15,379
Bourbon
Butler
Sedgwick
Kingman
-66
43
Wilson
-38
Neosho
38,242
Crawford
Elk
16
Morton
5,463
Stevens
22,510
Seward
4,631
Meade
-28
Clark
-567
-346
Comanche
Barber
-588
Harper
105
Sumner
-624
Cowley
-2,564
-48
Chautauqua
Montgomery
-858
Labette
22,605
Cherokee
-4,300 to 0
0 to 384
5,000 to 96,033
The Next 2 Slides
show the ethnicity of Kansas in 1990 and 2000.
The third slide shows the growth or decline in
the percentage of the population for each
ethnic group.
© 2004 by David T. Olson
Sample - Not for Public Use
12
1990 Ethnicity of Kansas
Asian
1%
Hispanic
4%
Non-Hispanic Black
6%
Non-Hispanic White
Non-Hispanic Black
Hispanic
Asian
Non-Hispanic White
89%
© 2004 by David T. Olson
Sample - Not for Public Use
13
2000 Ethnicity of Kansas
Non-Hispanic White
Non-Hispanic Black
Hispanic
7%
Asian
2%
Hispanic
Asian
Non-Hispanic Black
6%
Non-Hispanic White
85%
© 2004 by David T. Olson
Sample - Not for Public Use
14
Kansas 1990 - 2000 Growth or Decline in an Ethnic Group's
Percentage of the Population
92.1%
100.0%
90.0%
80.0%
64.8%
70.0%
60.0%
50.0%
40.0%
30.0%
20.0%
8.5%
10.0%
0.0%
-6.2%
-10.0%
Non-Hispanic White
Non-Hispanic Black
Hispanic
© 2004 by David T. Olson
Sample - Not for Public Use
Asian
15
The Next Graph
shows the attendance numbers for the churches in
Kansas in 1990 and 2000. Evangelicals have grown in
attendance, while Mainline and Catholic churches
have declined. Unfortunately, while overall worship
attendance has decreased somewhat, population has
continued to grow, meaning that the Church in
Kansas has declined substantially in the percentage
of population attending church. The second graph
shows a more reliable standard for evaluating
increasing or declining influence by looking at the
percentage of the population attending church on
any given weekend.
© 2004 by David T. Olson
Sample - Not for Public Use
16
Kansas Worship Attendance - 1990 & 2000
700,000
613,396
609,861
600,000
500,000
400,000
300,000
251,965
267,691
172,900
200,000
187,236
167,123
173,751
100,000
© 2004 by David T. Olson
2000 Total
1990 Total
2000 Catholic
1990 Catholic
2000 Mainline
1990 Mainline
2000 Evangelical
1990 Evangelical
-
Kansas Worship Attendance in 1990 & 2000 by Percentage of Population
24.8%
25.0%
22.7%
20.0%
15.0%
10.2%
1990
2000
10.0%
10.0%
7.6%
7.0%
6.5%
6.2%
5.0%
0.0%
Evangelical
Mainline
Catholic
© 2004 by David T. Olson
Total
The 3 Next Charts
show the relative strength of the 8 major
denominational groups in Kansas. The Pie
Chart shows how Catholic, Christian,
Methodist and Baptist churches predominate.
The second and third charts show that all 8
groups have declined in the percentage of the
population attending that denominational
family.
© 2004 by David T. Olson
Sample - Not for Public Use
19
2000 Kansas "Denomational Families" Worship Attendance
Other
14%
Baptist
12%
Methodist
14%
Christian
15%
Baptist
Methodist
Reformed
Lutheran
Pentecostal
Reformed
4%
Catholic
Christian
Other
Lutheran
7%
Catholic
29%
Pentecostal
5%
1990 & 2000 Percentage of the Population in a Christian Church
on any Given Weekend by Denominational Family
8.0%
7.6%
7.0%
6.5%
6.0%
5.0%
4.0%
3.5% 3.5%
3.4% 3.3%
3.0%
2.0%
1.6%
1.5%
1.3% 1.2%
1.0% 0.9%
1.0%
0.0%
Methodist
Series2
3.1%
2.9% 2.8%
Baptist
Series1
3.6%
Reformed
Lutheran
Pentecostal
Catholic
Christian
Other
1990 & 2000 Increase and Decrease in the Percentage of the Population in a
Christian Church on any Given Weekend by Denominational Family
0.0%
-0.6%
-2.0%
-3.4%
-4.0%
-4.2%
Baptist
-5.9%
-6.0%
Methodist
-6.9%
Reformed
Lutheran
-8.0%
Pentecostal
-8.6%
Catholic
Christian
-10.0%
Other
-12.0%
-13.2%
-14.0%
-14.5%
-16.0%
Baptist
Methodist
Reformed
Lutheran
Pentecostal
Catholic
Christian
Other
The Complete Kansas Powerpoint is
42 slides in length, and is available at
http://www.theamericanchurch.org/state/UKS20.htm.
It includes maps of church attendance in every county in
the metro area, as well as denominational charts, average
size charts, church planting charts, ethnicity charts and
population growth information.
© 2004 by David T. Olson
Sample - Not for Public Use
23
The next 8 slides are from the
“State of the Church in Kansas City”
Powerpoint. The Complete Powerpoint is 45
slides in length, and is available at
http://www.theamericanchurch.org/metro/KansasCity.htm.
It includes maps of church attendance in every county in
the metro area, as well as denominational charts, average
size charts, church planting charts, ethnicity charts and
population growth information.
© 2004 by David T. Olson
Sample - Not for Public Use
24
The Next 2 Maps
show the population numbers for each county
in the Kansas City metropolitan area. 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.
© 2004 by David T. Olson
Sample - Not for Public Use
25
18,979
Kansas City Metro
2000 Population
Clinton
73,371
Platte
68,691
Leavenworth
157,882
Wyandotte
184,006
Clay
654,880
23,354
Ray
32,960
Lafayette
Jackson
451,086
Johnson
82,092
28,351
Cass
Miami
© 2004 by David T. Olson
Sample - Not for Public Use
26
2,384
Clinton
15,914
Platte
4,320
Leavenworth
- 4,111
Wyandotte
30,595
Clay
21,648
Kansas City Metro
1990 - 2000 Population Growth
1,383
Ray
1,853
Lafayette
Jackson
96,032
Johnson
18,284
4,885
Cass
Miami
© 2004 by David T. Olson
Sample - Not for Public Use
27
The Next Map
shows the attendance numbers for the churches in the
Kansas City Metro in 1990 and 2000. Most
noteworthy is that Evangelical, Mainline and Catholic
churches grew numerically. However, as population
has grown, the percentage of the population
attending Mainline and Catholic churches has
declined. This is a more reliable standard for
evaluating increasing or declining influence. The
percentage of the population attending church on
any given weekend is shown in the second graph.
© 2004 by David T. Olson
Sample - Not for Public Use
28
Kansas City MSA Worship Attendance 1990 & 2000
390,176
400,000
356,265
350,000
300,000
250,000
201,974
200,000
178,444
150,000
102,919
107,883
100,000
71,451
76,213
50,000
1990
Evangelical
2000
Evangelical
1990 Mainline 2000 Mainline 1990 Catholic 2000 Catholic
© 2004 by David T. Olson
Sample - Not for Public Use
1990 Total
2000 Total
29
Kansas City MSA 1990 & 2000 Percentage of Population at Worship
25.0%
22.5%
22.0%
20.0%
15.0%
1990
11.3% 11.4%
2000
10.0%
6.5%
4.5%
5.0%
6.1%
4.3%
0.0%
Evangelical
Mainline
Catholic
© 2004 by David T. Olson
Sample - Not for Public Use
Total
30
The First Factor
to evaluate is the Percentage of the
Population that attends a worship
service on any given weekend. The first
map shows the 2000 percentage for all
orthodox Christian churches.
© 2004 by David T. Olson
Sample - Not for Public Use
31
16.7%
Kansas City Metro - Percentage of
Population Attending a Christian
Church on any Given Weekend
by County in 2000
Clinton
21.6
%
Platte
14.1%
21.0%
Clay
Leavenworth
19.8%
Wyandotte
16.7%
Ray
22.7%
25.0%
Lafayette
Jackson
21.8%
Johnson
14.9%
19.1%
Cass
21.4% - 25.0%
17.0% - 21.4%
14.0% - 17.0%
Miami
© 2004 by David T. Olson
Sample - Not for Public Use
32
The Complete Kansas City Powerpoint is 50
slides in length, and is available at
http://www.theamericanchurch.org/metro/KansasCity.htm.
It includes maps of church attendance in every county in
the metro area, as well as denominational charts, average
size charts, church planting charts, ethnicity charts and
population growth information.
© 2004 by David T. Olson
Sample - Not for Public Use
33
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 200,000 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 over 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%.
© 2004 by David T. Olson
Sample - Not for Public Use
34
For More Information . . .



Please go to www.theamericanchurch.org for
additional information on the American Church.
12 Surprising Facts about the American Church is available at
http://www.theamericanchurch.org/12supm.htm
The complete Kansas Powerpoint presentation is available at
http://www.theamericanchurch.org/state/UKS20.htm

The Complete Kansas City Powerpoint presentation is available at
http://www.theamericanchurch.org/metro/KansasCity.htm

A Combo Pack (12 Surprising Facts, Kansas and Kansas City Powerpoints) is
available at http://www.theamericanchurch.org/combo/KS0.htm
© 2004 by David T. Olson
Sample - Not for Public Use
35