For years, Latter-day Saints viewed the church's growth as evidence of God's favor. What does it mean as retention rates slip? The Salt Lake Tribune examines the theological implications of declining activity rates for a faith that has long equated growth with divine approval.

The piece explores how falling retention challenges a foundational narrative within Mormonism: that numerical growth signals the church's truthfulness. As activity rates decline while membership numbers continue to rise, the gap between counted members and engaged participants widens.