LDS ChurchFor Latter-day Saints, the retention decline is more than a people problem
Declining member retention rates in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reflect systemic institutional challenges beyond individual faith crises, according to analysis carried by KIFI Local News 8 in Idaho Falls. The piece examines patterns in member disaffiliation and questions whether organizational factors contribute to departures.
The analysis cites widely circulated video comments by a retired high-level Church leader, Lawrence Corbridge, who told members that even severe problems with local leadership or ward culture—comparing it to "Alcatraz"—should not drive them away. That framing has itself become a flashpoint in debates about how the institution addresses member concerns.
September 12, 2026 at 2:03 PM MT · via KIFI Local News 8 · 4 sources