Issues@Hand

AFA initiatives, Christian activism, news briefs

July/August 2014 – In 2012, the Southern Baptist Convention took note of an alarming trend occurring in the past 15 years – a rapid decline in baptisms. The record year for baptisms was 1999, with 419,000 baptisms. Since then, the number of baptisms occurring yearly has dropped by 25%. Meanwhile, growth in membership has also slowed for the denomination, with only 15.8 million members in 2012 after a peak of 16.6 million in 2005. 

In response, 15 SBC pastors and staff met as a task force to evaluate the cause. Their conclusions centered on a “loss of expectation” in the evangelistic focus of the denomination. Among other issues, the task force cited a focus on the operation of the church and on attendance rather than fruitful evangelism.  

“Many of our SBC pastors and churches are not effectively engaged in sharing the gospel and yet continue business as usual,” the report from the task force stated. The task force met between September 2013 and May 2014. 

In addition, the report pointed to a failure in engaging and discipling the next generation. According to statistics cited, in 2012, 60% of SBC churches reported no baptisms of youth (ages 12-17), while 80% reported no more than one baptism of young adults (ages 18-29).

theatlantic.com, 5/14/14; bpnews.net, 5/12/14