The data-backed case for an unlikely solution to America’s decline
Adobe
ChatGPTIf you listen to the national conversation about how to mend what is broken in our country, you'll hear many ideas…
Better leadership.
Better policies.
Better education.
More economic opportunity.
All of those matter. A lot!
But there is one solution that almost never enters the conversation—even though the evidence behind it is surprisingly strong.
Ready?
Start more churches!
That may sound unexpected.
Yet a growing body of research suggests that faith communities are one of the most powerful generators of both spiritual capital and social capital in society.
And if that's true, then it follows that new churches—because they reach new people—may be one of the most practical ways to strengthen communities and even a nation.
New churches create spiritual capital
Sociologists sometimes use the phrase "spiritual capital" to describe the beliefs, practices, relationships, and sense of purpose that shape how people live their lives.
Faith communities have long been one of the primary places where the formation of spiritual capital happens. Increasingly, research suggests that participation in a faith community not only creates spiritual capital but is strongly connected to human flourishing.
Harvard's Human Flourishing Program, led by Tyler J. VanderWeele, has conducted large longitudinal studies exploring what contributes most to well-being over time. Their research consistently shows that regular participation in religious communities is associated with higher levels of meaning in life, stronger relationships, greater generosity, and higher overall life satisfaction. Across multiple studies, participation in a faith community emerges as one of the strongest predictors of human flourishing.
Places with vibrant faith communities tend to produce people who flourish—and people who flourish contribute to flourishing communities.
This is where church planting becomes especially important.
Research consistently shows that new churches are uniquely effective at reaching people who are not already connected to church. A study by Lifeway Research found that…
42% of people attending newly planted churches had either never attended church before or had not attended in many years.
In other words, new churches reach new people and those new people create more spiritual capital.
This is one reason pastor and theologian Timothy Keller argued that extensive church planting remains the most consistently effective evangelistic strategy available to the church.
The pattern is visible throughout Christian history. In Acts of the Apostles, the apostle Paul would enter a new city, share the gospel, make disciples, and establish a new church.
Where new communities of faith formed, new spiritual life followed.
Lives changed.
Families were restored.
People discovered forgiveness and purpose.
That is spiritual capital being created in real time.
New churches generate social capital
Spiritual capital rarely stays private. It spills into communities and creates "social capital." Social capital refers to the networks of trust, generosity, and cooperation that allow communities to flourish.
In their book American Grace, sociologists Robert D. Putnam and David E. Campbell examined religion's impact on civic life in America. Their conclusion was striking:
Americans who are active in religious congregations are significantly more likely to volunteer, give to charity, and participate in civic life than those who are not.
Importantly, this difference appears not only in religious causes but also in secular ones. Putnam summarized the finding memorably:
"…religious Americans often turn out to be 'better neighbors.'"
More recent research continues to point in the same direction. A 2024 study published in European Sociological Review found that more frequent participation in religious services is associated with higher levels of generalized trust, volunteering, and perceived cooperativeness, with some spillover effects into participation in non-religious civic organizations.
Faith communities are one of the most consistent places where those habits are formed. When people gather regularly around shared values, serve together, and build relationships, trust grows and generosity spreads. That's why churches often become hubs of volunteer activity in a community.
They organize service projects.
They mobilize people to help neighbors.
They launch mentoring programs, food pantries, and community partnerships.
And when a new church begins, a new engine of volunteerism and civic engagement begins operating in that community. New churches generate social capital.
A necessary clarification
At this point, you may be thinking, "Isn't the church part of the problem in our culture right now?"
That concern is understandable. Not every church contributes positively to its community, and the church has not always lived up to its calling.
But the research we've looked at isn't measuring perfect institutions—it's measuring what happens when people actively participate in healthy faith communities.
It's also important to note that simply identifying as religious isn't the same as participating in a faith community. For example…
…a significant percentage of Americans who describe themselves as "evangelical" rarely or never attend church.
The research showing higher generosity, volunteering, trust, and civic engagement is tied to active participation in a community of faith, not merely a religious label.
In other words, the argument here isn't that we simply need more religion.
The argument is that healthy churches—communities centered on loving God and loving their neighbors—remain one of the most reliable sources of spiritual and social capital in society.
And when new healthy churches begin, those benefits are multiplied.
Why church planting matters
In my book Multiplier: How Healthy Leaders Create Lasting Impact, I argue that launching new church expressions is one of the most powerful ways leaders create lasting impact.
Why? Because new churches reach new people—and new people bring new spiritual and social energy into a community.
Research from church planting studies shows that new congregations often see three to four times as many conversions as churches that are ten years or older.
And when new people encounter faith and become part of a community shaped by the teachings of Jesus, the ripple effects extend far beyond Sunday gatherings. They become neighbors who serve. Volunteers who show up. Generous people who care about their communities.
Our best hope for a better country
America today faces many challenges.
Loneliness is rising.
Trust is declining.
Civic participation is weakening.
In other words, our social capital is eroding.
But if the research is right, faith communities remain one of the most reliable producers of both spiritual capital and social capital in society.
And because new churches reach new people, they are one of the fastest ways to expand that impact.
New churches create spaces where people encounter God.
They mobilize volunteers.
They cultivate generosity.
They strengthen neighborhoods.
That's why church planting isn't simply a strategy for church growth.
Church planting is one of the most practical strategies for human flourishing and community renewal.
If we want stronger communities and a healthier nation, one of the best investments we can make is simple:
Start more healthy churches!
Because when new churches begin, lives change.
And when lives change, communities flourish.
And when communities flourish…
A nation can flourish too.
 | Dave Ferguson is the CEO / President and co-founder for Exponential. He is also the lead pastor of Community Christian Church, an innovative multi-site missional community that is passionate about “helping people find their way back to God.” Community has grown from a few college friends to thousands every weekend meeting at multiple locations in the Chicago area and has been recognized as one of America’s most influential churches. Learn More » |
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