U.S. Hispanic Protestant Churches See Growth in Membership, Outreach Efforts

According to a new Lifeway Research survey, Hispanic congregations in the United States have seen significant growth amongst their members and in outreach efforts.

"For decades, the Hispanic population in the U.S. has been growing exponentially, and it is imperative for churches to be informed about the specific needs of this community," said director of global publishing for Lifeway Recursos Giancarlo Montemayor. "This study will help us to continue the ongoing conversation of how to serve our brothers and sisters in a more strategic way."

The survey found that just over half of Hispanic churches (54 percent) have been established since 2000, including 32 percent that were founded in 2010 or later. Meanwhile, less than 1 in 10 (9 percent) were established in 1950.

Most congregants comprise 58 percent of first Americans born outside of the country, followed by 24 percent who are second generation, with parents who were born outside of the U.S. Additionally, just 17 percent of U.S.-born church members have parents who were also born in the U.S. For this reason, most services are conducted in Spanish (53 percent). Twenty-two percent of services are bilingual.

For the average Hispanic Protestant church, 35 percent of the congregation is under the age of 30, with 18 percent being under 18 years old. Another 38 percent are between 30-49, and 28 percent are at least 50 years old.