The Case for Iowa
Iowa is not a pit stop.
It’s a mission field.
This is the page no national Send Network site has. A clear-eyed look at Iowa, who lives here, what they believe, and why new churches are the answer.
The numbers don’t lie
Iowa-specific data and sources will populate this section. Every stat will be cited and honest.
3.2M
Total population
A mid-sized state with significant unreached communities, often overlooked by national church planting networks.
930+
Towns without an evangelical church
More than half of Iowa's incorporated towns have no SBC-affiliated or evangelical congregation.
77
Counties
Iowa spans urban centers, college towns, and deeply rural counties — each requiring contextually appropriate church planting approaches.
29%
Church attendance rate
Iowa's weekly church attendance has declined significantly over two generations, creating urgency for new gospel-centered congregations.
Geographic Diversity
Urban, suburban, and rural — all mission fields
Iowa is not monolithic. Des Moines is growing. Cedar Rapids, Davenport, and Sioux City have distinct urban contexts. College towns like Ames, Iowa City, and Cedar Falls carry their own cultural dynamics. And hundreds of small towns across the state have never had a healthy church.
Spiritual Landscape
What Iowa believes (and what it doesn’t)
Iowa’s religious landscape — mainline decline, unchurched growth, and evangelical pockets — tells a story that demands a planting response.