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Study based on 500 interviews with church leaders across mainland Portugal and the archipelagos

​

The interviews started on 2/8/2020 and this data collection phase ended on 4/2/2020 - (Start of the COVID-19 pandemic)

​

The objective of the study was to try to understand the dynamics of the evangelical movement in the country, especially in terms of diasporas (ethnic churches) and to identify the main needs for planting and revitalizing churches in the country.

We clarify that, at the time of the research, we were not aware of the total number of existing evangelical churches.

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STRUCTURE

  1. Overview
  2. Average attendance per church in different regions of the country
  3. Average of baptisms per church in the different regions of the country
  4. Church planting
    1. General information
    2. Number of churches needed to obtain 1 church/3500 inhabitants
    3. Evangelization in urban centers
  5. Church Revitalization
  6. Leadership reproduction
  7. Comparative table between churches with less than 25% Portuguese and those with more than 75% Portuguese
  8. Most deprived regions
  9. Recommendations

​

​

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Intervals (average attendance)

% of Baptisms

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AVERAGE ATTENDANCE BY CHURCH

​

EVOLUTION

IS POSSIBLE

​

2020

NATIONAL AVG

73 P/CHURCH

49

26

45

72

26

30

34

75

24

68

26

78

95

163

36

73

61

80

58

55

​

2016

NATIONAL AVG

49 P/CHURCH

35

13

32

42

23

21

28

30

31

50

16

52

76

41

25

60

34

55

28

37

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​

​

EVOLUTION

Is possible

​

AVERAGE OF BAPTISMS (PER CHURCH)

​

2018 E 2019

NATIONAL AVG

9 P/CHURCH

6

4

6

9

0

3

1

7

2

9

4

8

13

5

3

10

5

9

4

9

​

2014 E 2015

NATIONAL AVG

5 P/CHURCH

4

2

3

6

1

2

1

4

3

6

2

7

8

8

3

7

3

7

1

3

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Church planting

According to this research, it was from 2000 to 2015 that most churches were planted.

In the last 5 years, 1/2 of the churches that were started in these 15 years were planted.

Information regarding churches planted after the year 2015

Information regarding churches planted after the year 2015

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CHURCH PLANTING

40% of newly planted churches have less than 25% Portuguese people and have not baptized anyone during the years 2018 and 2019.

Information regarding churches planted after the year 2015

Information regarding churches planted after the year 2015

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No. OF CHURCHES NECESSARY TO HAVE 1 CHURCH FOR EVERY 3,500 PERSONS

DISTRICT

AVG ATTENDANCE IN CHURCHES (2016)

​

AVG ATTENDANCE IN CHURCHES(2020)

​

TOTAL POPULATION OF DISTRICTS

​

No OF CHURCHES NEEDED TO REACH 3,500 (existing + new churches)

Vila Real

13

26

214.490

61

Guarda

16

26

167.359

48

Braga

35

49

924.351

264

Madeira

41

163

272.706

78

Castelo Branco

28

34

196.989

56

Viana do Castelo

28

58

252.952

72

Viseu

37

55

378.784

108

Bragança

21

30

140.385

40

Açores

32

45

249.459

71

Porto

60

73

2.397.191

685

Setúbal

55

80

880.765

252

Évora

31

24

174.490

50

Beja

23

26

158.702

45

Aveiro

42

72

814.456

233

Leiria

52

78

560.484

160

Santarém

34

61

454.947

130

Coimbra

30

75

541.566

155

Portalegre

25

36

120.585

34

Lisboa

76

95

2.884.984

824

Faro

50

68

569.714

163

We do not know how many churches there are currently in each district.

TOTAL: 3529

1 CHURCH PER 3500 INHABITANTS WAS A TARGET DEFINED IN THE “GLOBAL MISSION 2015” PROJECT (PROMOTED BY THE PORTUGUESE EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE)

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EVANGELIZATION IN URBAN CENTERS

10 LARGEST MUNICIPALITIES

AVG ATTENDANCE PER CHURCH

AVG No. OF BAPTISMS PER CHURCH

(2018 AND 2019)

% OF CHURCHES PLANTED AFTER 2015

% OF CHURCHES INVOLVED IN SOCIAL WORK

Lisboa

111

14

12%

90%

Sintra

104

21

26%

82%

Vila Nova de Gaia

66

17

11%

89%

Porto

79

10

11%

74%

Cascais

92

13

19%

81%

Loures

118

13

20%

100%

Braga

54

6

38%

69%

Matosinhos

88

13

18%

91%

Amadora

105

15

38%

100%

Almada

81

8

20%

84%

The total population of these 10 municipalities is equivalent to 25% of the population of Portugal

These counties are the same as in 2016

Information in relation to these 10 counties

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CHURCH REVITALIZATION

Information regarding churches with less than 25 people and planted until 2015

Information regarding churches with attendance of less than 25 people

De todas as igrejas com uma assistência inferior a 25 pessoas, 1/2 destas não realizou qualquer baptismo e 64% têm uma faixa etária (predominante) acima dos 45 anos.

​

31% of churches with an attendance of less than 25 people were planted between 2000 and 2015.

Intervals (average attendance)

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CHURCH REVITALIZATION

Information regarding churches with less than 25 people and planted by 2015

Information regarding churches with less than 25 people and planted by 2015

Of all the churches with more than 75% Portuguese, ¼ have an attendance of less than 25 people and pastors over 60 years old.

Intervals (average attendance)

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REPRODUCTION OF LEADERSHIP

22% of pastors are over 60 years old, while only 19% are under 40 years old.

​

More than 60% of Portuguese pastors are over 50 years old.

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COMPARATIVE CHART BETWEEN…

​

CHURCHES WITH -25% PORTUGUESE

CHJURCHES WITH 75%+ PORTUGUESE

Average attendance per church

61

68

Avgerage of baptisms per church

8

9

Average age (attendance)

37

50

Founding date of Church

82% (2000/20)

77% (before 1960 to 2000)

Involvemente with social work

79%

77%

Age of Pastors (Avg)

48

54

Country of origen of pastors

Brazil - 72%

Portugal - 81%

Plans (already defined) for planting a church in the next 5 years

55% already have defined plans

39% already have defined plans

*We consider an ethnic church to be a community with less than 25% Portuguese.

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MOST NEEDY REGIONS

DISTRICT

CLASSIFICATION (2016)

​

AVG ATTENDANCE NAS IGREJAS

(2020)

AVG OF BAPTISMS

(2018 e 2019)

% OF CHURCHES PLANTED AFTER 2015

PERCENTAGE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF CHURCHES BASED ON PLANS FOR THE NEXT 5 YEARS

CLASSIFICATION (2020)

​

Vila Real

​

26

4

33%

+117%

​

Guarda

​

26

4

0%

+50%

HELP!

Braga

​

49

6

29%

+75%

​

Madeira

​

163

5

33%

+33%

​

Castelo Branco

​

34

1

50%

+67%

​

Viana do Castelo

​

58

4

20%

+80%

​

Viseu

​

55

9

10%

+60%

​

Bragança

​

30

3

11%

+67%

HELP!

Açores

​

45

6

14%

+29%

​

Porto

​

73

10

13%

+52%

​

Setúbal

​

80

9

15%

+46%

​

Évora

​

24

2

11%

+100%

HELP!

Beja

​

26

0

0%

+200%

HELP!

Aveiro

​

72

9

10%

+45%

​

Leiria

​

78

8

5%

+57%

​

Santarém

​

61

5

18%

+65%

​

Coimbra

​

75

7

4%

+61%

​

Portalegre

​

36

3

11%

+45%

HELP!

Lisboa

​

95

13

17%

+28%

​

Faro

​

68

9

15%

+52%

​

Total

​

73

9

15%

+48%

​

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MOST NEEDY REGIONS

These 5 regions have (in total) approximately 800,000 inhabitants.

​

​

Nacional

5 most needy Regions

Average attendance

73 p/church

39 p/church

Average no of baptisms (2018 and 2019)

9 p/church

3 p/church

% of churches planted after2015

15%

11%

Percentage increase in the number of churches in the next 5 years

48%

74%

5th WAINING

2016

​

5th DEEPEST

HELP

HELP

HELP

HELP

HELP

2020

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RECOMMENDATIONS

  1. Keep up the pace in planting new churches. Especially in the districts of: Bragança, Guarda, Portalegre, Évora and Beja. (Deep Fifth)

​

  • Develop a church revitalization strategy for churches with an attendance of less than 25 people.

​

  • Develop a strategy for training new leadership in Portugal.

​

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  • Establish strategic cooperation between national and ethnic churches with a view to reaching Portugal.

​

  • Create a prayer movement in favor of reaching Portugal.

​

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