Research & Mission
Research & Demographics
Dean
Talbot School of Theology at Biola University
Regional Director
Lausanne North America
Editor-in-Chief
Outreach Magazine
Two master's degrees and two doctorates. Pastors trained on six continents.
Ed on the Trends
Lifeway Research | Jan 2026
Church Closures Eclipse Openings in the U.S.
An estimated 3,800 Protestant churches opened in 2024 and 4,000 closed. Ed comments on why church planting matters.
ReadOutreach Magazine | Jul 2025
Coming Back
Ed on the rise in Gen Z church attendance, from the U.K. Quiet Revival report to new Barna data.
ReadTalbot Magazine | Jun 2025
The Road to Renewal
Insights on the state of the church and Gen Z from Talbot's Lead the Way Tour.
ReadChurchLeaders | Jun 2025
Pentecostals Keep Growing
With Todd Korpi: what the Assemblies of God's 2024 report shows about the Spirit-filled movement.
ReadResearch Record
2015
The State of Church Planting in the U.S.
LifeWay Research and NewChurches.com
With Micah Fries and Daniel Im. About 1,200 church planters across 17 denominations and networks.
2013
African-American Church Plants
LifeWay Research
A survey of 290 church planters; 94% of the churches studied were still open.
2010
Church Openings Outpace Closings
LifeWay Research
A survey of 1,004 Protestant pastors on church planting involvement.
2008
The State of Church Planting in the United States
Journal of the American Society for Church Growth
With Warren Bird. A research overview and qualitative study of church planting entities.
2007
Church Plant Survivability and Health Study
North American Mission Board
With Phillip Connor. 99% of plants survived year one and 68% reached year four.
2004
Do Church Planting Systems Help Church Planters?
Journal of the American Society for Church Growth
A study of the system Southern Baptists use to support church planters.
Areas of Inquiry
01
Church Planting
02
Revitalization
Leadership in the Field
Editor-in-Chief
Outreach Magazine
VisitRegional Director
Lausanne North America
Dean
Talbot School of Theology at Biola University