The Intermountain West was colonized by the Mormon Church, creating a religious culture historically unfriendly to evangelical faith. Thus the spiritual need in Utah is great. Only 2-3% of Utah’s population attends an evangelical church on any given weekend.

Utah has 1 evangelical church for every 6,400 Utah residents. Most are small—under 100 members.
Kansas has 2.8 million residents, almost the same as Utah. In Kansas there is one evangelical church for every 1,580 residents.

Utah needs not just more churches, but healthier churches – churches equipped to thrive in this religious culture. Utah needs churches that know how to apply the good news of God’s grace in Jesus Christ to the unique dynamics of life in this region.

Five counties in Utah and one in Idaho have no known evangelical church.

But while the challenge is great, God is at work. Now is a time of great opportunity in Utah. People are increasingly dissatisfied with Mormonism.  Utahans are more open to spiritual conversations than ever before. Many energetic new congregations have been started in recent years. For the first time in history, God is raising up an indigenous church in Utah – a church of Utah natives and long-term residents.

Utah Advance Ministries stands poised at this crossroads of need and opportunity to help Christian churches in Utah – and beyond – to be wiser, more focused, and more effective by adapting their ministry to the surrounding culture. We help existing churches refine their ministries. We help new churches get a healthy start. We also help ministries which encounter Mormonism throughout America and the rest of the world.