“The largest portion of membership declines come from churches acknowledging that certain members are gone for good and removing their names. Other drops come from churches that close or leave the convention,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “Newcomers to the entrances of churches definitely help, but membership will continue to decline as long as the exits remain active.”
“SBC membership still declining, worship and group attendance growing” (Graphic courtesy of Lifeway Research)
Despite membership decline, the SBC remains a powerful institution, particularly in the South, where the denomination is known for its disaster relief work. Southern Baptists in North Carolina have repaired hundreds of homes damaged by Hurricane Helene last year and plan to continue rebuilding efforts for years.
The denomination’s seminaries also play an outsize role in theological education — with more than a quarter of seminarians in the U.S. attending the six SBC schools. The denomination’s Cooperative Program, which turns 100 this year, still raises hundreds of millions of dollars each year for missions and ministries.
Along with demographic decline, the SBC has experienced significant conflict over the past decade, with leadership turnover at several of its major agencies, feuds over politics and a sexual abuse scandal, which led to millions in legal costs and a series of reforms passed in 2022. Those reforms, including a database listing abusive pastors, have stalled in recent years, with leaders saying that for now, the database is no longer a priority.
This article originally appeared here.
