Not really addressing the poster, but since a lurker may be scratching his head over the statement:
If the PCA adds in 5,500 members each year, they will reach 1 million members in 118 years
There is much more happening in the PCA than just the steady growth. Several things that will cause an exponential growth over the next 20 years.
|
|
2009 membership |
2010 membership |
|
Lost |
Gained |
PCUSA |
2,934,952 |
2,844,952 |
90,000 |
|
PCA |
2,934,952 |
340,000 |
|
5,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Disappearing Presbyerians |
84,500 |
|
The PCA is 300,000 in membership
2011 Church Membership: Southern Baptists Decline; Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons Increase
And
PCA statistics provide a blurry snapshot says that Total membership in 2009 346,408, an increase of 5,556.
5,500 more....
in contrast the PCUSA has 2,000,000 members --> 7 times larger as you point out.
If the PCA adds in 5,500 members each year, they will reach 1 million members in 118 years
You can't go by the same growth percentage as growth tapers as size increases. But even taking that fallacious number, it will be 40 years. That's not counting the number of splits it will have before then.
The article is a work of fiction, because the PCA is expanding at the rate of 5,500 more a year, but losing 84,500 Presbyterians who leave the PCUSA
Making a fancy statement like
There is much more happening in the PCA than just the steady growth. Several things that will cause an exponential growth over the next 20 years. is just fancy words and belies:
i. The facts that the PCA grows slower and with lesser numbers than even the Jehovah's Witnesses
ii. the PCA will inevitably have a split soon -- it's the way of all the Presbyterian groups -- see the PCUSA, PCUS, OPC, etc. --> the OPC which was formed in 1932 has had 2 splits since then. The PCA is a child of the 70s. It will split soon -- with all the furore over the Federal Vision and Female deacons.