Seven years ago, sociologist Conrad Kanagy analyzed a survey of Mennonite Church USA and warned the denomination might be headed toward extinction. Today he thinks the church isn’t much better off, but at least it understands the problem.

“What I observe that I think has changed since 2006,” said Kanagy, professor of sociology at Elizabethtown (Pa.) College, “is that there’s greater awareness of our situation and a willingness to recognize it.”