In towns across rural America, churches aren’t just places of worship. They’re the heartbeat of the community. However, that pulse is fading as thousands close nationwide.
Nationally, as many as 15,000 churches could close this year alone, with the National Council of Churches estimating 100,000 closures in the coming years. Mainline Protestant and Catholic parishes are being hit hardest.
In Gates County, North Carolina, several churches have closed their doors. Yet one congregation seems to be opening its doors wider, finding revitalization while many suffer.
“We’re in a small town, everybody knows everybody — you live in a fishbowl if you are a pastor here,” said Pastor Eric Earhart of The Upper Room Assembly.
Gatesville has a population of 250 people and sits just south of the Virginia line. Roughly half of its residents attend The Upper Room, an Assemblies of God church on the edge of town.
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A short drive through Gates County reveals a landscape of faith in transition: several have closed altogether, while several dozen are waiting to finalize their decisions.
“Probably five on paper that are open, have closed, and there’s a couple that have just literally closed and shuttered their doors,” Earhart said.
While restored sanctuaries and shining stained glass may look like revival from the outside, across parts of rural America, appearances can be deceiving.
“The caretaker group will care for this building — they’ll keep the grass cut and make sure the roof is fixed,” Earhart said, describing the fate of many closed churches. “So, it’ll be an edifice, it’s a museum to something that Jesus did generations ago.”
This quiet shuttering of sanctuaries is a phenomenon that Thom Rainer has seen accelerating nationwide. As the founder and CEO of Church Answers and an author of more than 40 books on church health, he has become a leading voice on congregational decline. After nearly four decades of consulting, his data points to a catastrophic milestone.
“Based upon the best data I have, 2025 may be a year where we might see what I think will be the most churches closed in any one year,” said Thom Rainer, CEO of Church Answers.
Rainer has helped churches on the brink for nearly 40 years.
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