Even as Southern Baptists leaders sound a renewed call to reverse a slow-growth trend in many denominational churches, Louisiana Baptists are facing their own homefront challenge.
Even as Southern Baptists leaders sound a renewed
call to reverse a slow-growth trend in many denominational churches,
Louisiana Baptists are facing their own homefront challenge.
A review of recently-released state convention
statistics shows that Louisiana Baptists posted minimal growth or
decreases in key membership areas in 2004.
For the most-recent church year, annual statistics
show that Louisiana grew no more than 0.7 percent from the previous
year in any membership area.
Increases were recorded in the area of:
• Baptisms, which rose by 81 (0.6 percent).
• Resident church membership, which grew by 1,557 persons (0.4 percent).
• Total church membership, which grew by 3,221 persons (0.6 percent).
• Vacation Bible School enrollment, which grew by 315 persons (0.3 percent).
• Discipleship Training enrollment, which grew by 453 persons (0.7 percent.
• Music Ministry enrollment, which grew by 116 persons (0.2 percent).
• Woman’s Missionary Union enrollment, which grew by 147 persons (0.6 percent).
At the same time, decreases were recorded by the state convention in several key areas, including:
• Churches, which dropped by six (0.4 percent).
• Missions, which dropped by 10 (6.5 percent).
• Additions other than baptisms, which dropped by 4 persons (0.03 percent).
• Sunday School enrollment, which dropped by 3,344 persons (1.2 percent).
• Men’s Ministry enrollment, which dropped by 2,070 persons (15.7 percent).
In addition to those areas, Louisiana Baptists
recorded a 19.1 percent increase in undesignated receipts in 2004, as
well as a 4.9 percent increase in total receipts.
However, it posted a 32 percent drop in total missions expenditures for the most-recent church year.
While the numbers show some growth in key areas, the
challenge for the state remains sizable. A comparison of statistics
from five years ago shows the denomination has grown in only two
non-financial areas – the number of churches and Woman’s Missionary
Union enrollment.