Southern Baptist Convention Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ==Statistics== ===Membership=== {| class="wikitable" style="margin:auto auto auto auto; font-size:95%; float:right;" |- ! Year !! Membership |- | 1845 || Align=right | 350,000 |- | 1860 || Align=right | 650,000 |- | 1875 || Align=right | 1,260,000 |- | 1890 || Align=right | 1,240,000 |- | 1905 || Align=right | 1,900,000 |- | 1920 || Align=right | 3,150,000 |- | 1935 || Align=right | 4,480,000 |- | 1950 || Align=right | 7,080,000 |- | 1965 || Align=right | 10,780,000 |- | 1980 || Align=right | 13,700,000 |- | 1995 || Align=right | 15,400,000 |- | 2000 || Align=right | 15,900,000 |- | 2005 || Align=right | 16,600,000 |- | 2006 || Align=right | 16,306,246 |- | 2007 || Align=right | 16,266,920 |- | 2008 || Align=right | 16,228,438 |- | 2009 || Align=right | 16,160,088 |- | 2010 || Align=right | 16,136,044 |- | 2011 || Align=right | 15,978,112 |- | 2012 || Align=right | 15,872,404 |- | 2013 || Align=right | 15,735,640 |- | 2014 || Align=right | 15,499,173 |- | 2015 || Align=right | 15,294,764 |- | 2016 || Align=right | 15,216,978 |- | 2017 || Align=right | 15,005,638 |- | 2018 || Align=right | 14,813,234 |- | 2019 || Align=right | 14,525,579 |- | 2020 || Align=right | 14,089,947 |- | 2021 || Align=right | 13,680,493 |- | 2022 || Align=right | 13,223,122 |- | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |<ref>{{cite web |title=2020 Southern Baptist Convention Statistical Summary |url=http://blog.lifeway.com/newsroom/files/2021/05/ACP_Summary_2020.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210525211309/http://blog.lifeway.com/newsroom/files/2021/05/ACP_Summary_2020.pdf |archive-date=2021-05-25 |url-status=live |website=blog.lifeway.com |publisher=Lifeway Research |access-date=10 June 2021}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite news |last=Pipes |first=Carol |date=June 7, 2016 |title=ACP: More churches reported; baptisms decline |url=http://www.bpnews.net/46989/acp-more-churches-reported-baptism-worship-numbers-decline |work=Baptist Press |publisher=Southern Baptist Convention |access-date=June 28, 2016}}</ref><ref name="acp2009">{{Citation | url = http://www.bpnews.net/pdf/2009SBCStatsSummary.pdf | title = Southern Baptist Convention Statistical Summary – 2009 | access-date = 2011-02-13 | newspaper = BP news | archive-date = April 12, 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150412133650/http://www.bpnews.net/pdf/2009SBCStatsSummary.pdf }}.</ref><ref name="lifeway.com">{{Citation | url = http://www.lifeway.com/Article/news-sbc-baptisms-churches-increased-in-2011-membership-declined | title = SBC Baptisms and Churches Increased in 2011, Membership Declined: 2011 ACP | publisher = Lifeway | access-date = 2013-08-09 | archive-date = October 16, 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151016174435/http://www.lifeway.com/Article/news-sbc-baptisms-churches-increased-in-2011-membership-declined }}.</ref><ref>{{Citation | title = Historical Statistics of the US | year = 1976 | series = H805}} (with 2005 estimate from Convention figures).</ref><ref name="2014n">{{Citation | url = http://www.bpnews.net/44914/sbc-reports-more-churches-fewer-people | title = SBC reports more churches, fewer people | access-date = 2015-06-21 | newspaper = [[Baptist Press]]| date = June 10, 2015 }}.</ref><ref>{{Citation | date = 2008-04-24 | url = http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/stories/2008/04/24/southernbaptists_0424.html | title = Southern Baptist numbers, baptisms drop | publisher = AJC | access-date = July 7, 2008 | archive-date = January 4, 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090104205317/http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/stories/2008/04/24/southernbaptists_0424.html }}.</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.wordandway.org/news/baptists/item/3752-report-southern-baptist-churches-up-in-2016-baptisms-membership-decline|title=Report: Southern Baptist Churches up in 2016; Baptisms, Membership Decline |first=Carol |last=Pipes |access-date=2017-06-12|language=en-gb}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bpnews.net/51000/acp-worship-attendance-rises-baptisms-decline|title=ACP: Worship attendance rises, baptisms decline|date=June 2018 |publisher=Baptist Press|access-date=26 June 2018}}</ref><ref name="bpnews.net">{{cite web|url=http://www.bpnews.net/52962/acp--giving-increases-baptisms-attendance-continue-decline|title=SBC: Giving increases while baptisms continue decline|date=May 23, 2019 |publisher=Baptist Press|access-date=24 May 2019}}</ref><ref name="Baptist Press">{{cite web|url=http://www.bpnews.net/54903/southern-baptist-convention-continues-statistical-decline-floyd-calls-for-rethinking-acp-process|title=Southern Baptist Convention continues statistical decline, Floyd calls for rethinking ACP process|date=June 4, 2020 |publisher=Baptist Press|access-date=8 June 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Pipes|first=Carol|title=Southern Baptists see baptisms, giving rebound in 2021|url=https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/southern-baptists-see-baptisms-giving-rebound-in-2021/|publisher=[[Baptist Press]]|date=May 12, 2022|access-date=June 8, 2022}}</ref> |} According to a census published by the association in 2023, the organization claimed 47,198 churches, 3.8 million in weekly worship attendance and 13,223,122 members.<ref>Aaron Earls, [https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/southern-baptists-grow-in-attendance-and-baptisms-decline-in-membership/ Southern Baptists grow in attendance and baptisms, decline in membership], baptistpress.com, USA, May 9, 2023</ref><ref>Southern Baptist Convention, [https://www.sbc.net/about/what-we-do/fast-facts/ Fast Facts About the SBC], sbc.net, USA, retrieved May 5, 2023</ref> The global convention has more than 1,161 local associations and 41 state conventions, and fellowships covering all fifty states and territories of the United States.<ref>Southern Baptist Convention, [https://www.sbc.net/resources/directories/state-and-local-associations/ State and Local Associations], sbc.net, USA, retrieved June 8, 2021</ref> The five U.S. states with the highest rates of membership are Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, Florida, and Tennessee. Texas has the largest number of members with an estimated 2.75 million.<ref>{{Citation | url = http://lwnewsroom.s3.amazonaws.com/newsroom/files/2014/05/ACP2013-states.jpg | title = SBC Statistics By State Convention - 2013 | publisher = Lifeway | access-date = 2014-08-28}}.</ref> Within Texas, these are divided among the more traditionalist [[Southern Baptists of Texas Convention]] and more moderate, diversified [[Baptist General Convention of Texas]]; the Baptist General Convention of Texas, or the Texas Baptists, are also more financially and organizationally autonomous from the primary convention in contrast to most state conventions. Through the Cooperative Program, Southern/Great Commission Baptists support thousands of missionaries in the United States and worldwide. ===Trends=== Data from church sources and independent surveys indicate that since 1990 membership of Southern Baptist churches has declined as a proportion of the American population.<ref>{{Citation | publisher = Namb | url = http://www.namb.net/atf/cf/{CDA250E8–8866–4236–9A0C-C646DE153446}/RCS_Comparison_1990_2000.pdf | title = RCS comparison 1990–2000 }}.</ref> Historically, the convention grew throughout its history until 2007, when membership decreased by a net figure of nearly 40,000 members.<ref>{{Citation|date=2008-04-30 |title=Baptists 4 ethics |url=http://www.baptists4ethics.com/BB_PDFS/BB_apr30_2008.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081028202326/http://www.baptists4ethics.com/BB_PDFS/BB_apr30_2008.pdf |archive-date=October 28, 2008 }}</ref> The total membership, of about 16.2 million, was flat over the same period, falling by 38,482 or 0.2%. An important indicator for the health of the denomination is new baptisms, which have decreased every year for seven of the last eight years. {{As of |2008}}, they had reached their lowest levels since 1987.<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/article_main_page/0,1703,A%3D167523&M%3D201280,00.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080430142012/http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/article_main_page/0,1703,A%3D167523%26M%3D201280,00.html | archive-date = 2008-04-30 | title = Life way}}</ref> Membership continued to decline from 2008 to 2012.<ref name="Harris">{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/southern-baptists-elect-a-black-leader-and-raise-hopes-for-increased-diversity/2012/06/21/gJQANl4FwV_story.html|title=Southern Baptists Elect a Black Leader and Raise Hopes for Increased Diversity|last1=Harris|first1=Hamil|date=June 22, 2012|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=June 25, 2012|last2=Hunter|first2=Jeannine}}</ref> The convention's statistical summary of 2014 recorded a loss of 236,467 members, their biggest one-year decline since 1881.<ref name="2014n"/> In 2018, membership fell below 15 million for the first time since 1989 and reached its lowest level for over 30 years.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2019/may/southern-baptists-acp-membership-baptism-decline-2018.html|title=Southern Baptists Down to Lowest in 30 Years|date=May 23, 2019 |publisher=Chrisrianity Today|access-date=24 May 2019}}</ref> This decline in membership and baptisms has prompted some SBC researchers to describe the convention as a "denomination in decline".<ref>{{cite web | date = April 23, 2008 | url = http://blogs.lifeway.com/blog/edstetzer/2008/04/the_end_of_the_beginning_1.html | title = Breaking News | author = Ed Stetzer | type = blog | publisher = Life way | access-date = December 10, 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100113011056/http://blogs.lifeway.com/blog/edstetzer/2008/04/the_end_of_the_beginning_1.html | archive-date = January 13, 2010 }}</ref> In 2008, former SBC president [[Frank Page (Southern Baptist)|Frank Page]] suggested that if current conditions continue, half of all the convention's churches will close their doors permanently by 2030.<ref name="Ref-1">{{cite web |url= http://www.christianindex.org/4421.article |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081012043807/http://www.christianindex.org/4421.article |archive-date= October 12, 2008 |title= Have Southern Baptists joined the evangelical decline? |publisher= Christian index |access-date= December 10, 2011 }}</ref> This assessment was supported by a 2004 survey of SBC churches that found that the membership of 70% of SBC churches is declining or has plateaued.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=19542 | publisher = Baptist Press | title = Study updates stats on health of Southern Baptist churches – News with a Christian Perspective | work = News | date = November 15, 2004 | access-date = December 10, 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110615030235/http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=19542 | archive-date = June 15, 2011 }}</ref> The decline in membership was discussed at the June 2008 Annual Convention.<ref>{{Citation|url=http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/religion/stories/DN-relSBC_07met.ART.West.Edition1.467b548.html |title=Dallas news |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100828103024/http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/religion/stories/DN-relSBC_07met.ART.West.Edition1.467b548.html |archive-date=August 28, 2010 }}</ref> Curt Watke, a former researcher for the organization, noted four reasons for the decline of the church based on his research: the increase in immigration by non-European groups, decline in growth among predominantly European American (white) churches, the aging of the current membership, and a decrease in the proportion of younger generations participating in any church life.<ref name="Ref-1" /> Some believe that the Baptists have not worked sufficiently to attract minorities.<ref name="LovanDylan">{{Citation | last = Lovan | first = Dylan T | title = Southern Baptists to gather in Kentucky | publisher = The Associated Press | date = June 19, 2009}}.</ref> On the other hand, the state conventions of [[Mississippi]] and [[Texas]] report an increasing proportion of minority members.<ref name="LovanDylan" /> In 1990, 5% of congregations were non-white. In 2012, the proportion of congregations that were of other ethnic groups (African American, Latino, and Asian) had increased to 20%.<ref name="The Southern Baptists 2012" /> Sixty percent of the minority congregations were in Texas, particularly in the suburbs of [[Houston]] and [[Dallas]].<ref name="The Southern Baptists 2012" /> In 2020, an estimated 22.3% of affiliated churches were non-white.<ref>{{Cite web |title=How racially diverse is the SBC? |url=https://erlc.com/resource-library/articles/how-racially-diverse-is-the-sbc/ |access-date=2023-05-10 |website=ERLC}}</ref> The decline in SBC-GCB membership may be more pronounced than these statistics indicate because Baptist churches are not required to remove inactive members from their rolls, likely leading to greatly inflated membership numbers. In addition, hundreds of large moderate congregations have shifted their primary allegiance to other Baptist groups, such as the [[American Baptist Churches USA]], the [[Alliance of Baptists]] or the [[Cooperative Baptist Fellowship]], but have continued to remain on the convention's books. Their members are thus counted in the convention's totals although these churches no longer participate in the annual convention meetings or make more than the minimum financial contributions.<ref name=fewerbaptists>{{Cite news| last = McMullen | first =Cary | title =Any way you count it, fewer Southern Baptists | newspaper = Palatka Daily News | date = June 17, 1999 | url = http://www.adherents.com/largecom/baptist_fewerSBC.html| archive-url = https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20090521224629/http://www.adherents.com/largecom/baptist_fewerSBC.html| url-status = usurped| archive-date = May 21, 2009| access-date = August 31, 2009}}</ref> In some cases, groups have withdrawn from the convention because of its conservative trends. On November 6, 2000, the Baptist General Convention of Texas voted to cut its contributions to Southern Baptist seminaries and reallocate more than $5 million to three theological seminaries in the state that members believed were more moderate.<ref name=":15">{{cite web|url=http://assets.baptiststandard.com/archived/2000/11_6/pages/funding.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140826120451/http://assets.baptiststandard.com/archived/2000/11_6/pages/funding.html|archive-date=2014-08-26|title=Texas Baptists affirm change in funding SBC}}</ref> These included the Hispanic Baptist Theological School in San Antonio, Baylor University's [[George W. Truett Theological Seminary]] in Waco, and [[Hardin–Simmons University]]'s Logsdon School of Theology in Abilene. Since the controversies of the 1980s, more than 20 theological or divinity programs directed toward moderate and progressive Baptists have been established in the Southeast. In addition to Texas, schools in Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina and Alabama were established in the 1990s. These include the Baptist Theological Seminary in Richmond, McAfee School of Theology of Mercer University in [[Atlanta]], [[Wake Forest University|Wake Forest]], Gardner Webb and Campbell Divinity schools in North Carolina, and Beeson Divinity School at [[Samford University]]. These schools contributed to the flat and declining enrollment at seminaries operating in the same region of the United States. Texas and Virginia have the largest state conventions identified as moderate in theological approach.<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.dallasnews.com/religion/203483_baptists_31met.html | first = Jeffrey | last = Weiss | title = Moderate Baptists cut conservative seminaries' funds; Action signals their continued discontent with leadership of the nation's largest Protestant denomination | newspaper = Dallas Morning News | date = 31 October 2000 | access-date = 25 June 2012}}.</ref> On June 4, 2020, the organization reported a drop in its membership—the 13th consecutive year that membership has declined. Total membership in the church fell almost 2% to 14,525,579 from 2018 to 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Southern Baptist Convention continues statistical decline, Floyd calls for rethinking ACP process|url=http://www.bpnews.net/54903/southern-baptist-convention-continues-statistical-decline-floyd-calls-for-rethinking-acp-process|access-date=2020-07-21|website=Baptist Press|date=June 4, 2020 |language=en}}</ref> In 2022, the church lost another 457,371 members (the largest drop in over a century) to 13,223,122, a similar level as the late 1970s.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Smietana |first1=Bob |title=Southern Baptists lost nearly half a million members in 2022 |url=https://religionnews.com/2023/05/09/southern-baptist-convention-declined-by-nearly-half-a-million-members-in-2022/ |access-date=23 October 2023 |work=Religion News Service |date=9 May 2023}}</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. 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