Baptisms are up, but membership is down. That’s the mixed picture from the Southern Baptist Convention’s (SBC) latest Annual Church Profile, one of the largest protestant denominations in the US.
Southern Baptist churches baptised more than 250,000 people in 2024 - a ten per cent increase over the previous year and the highest total since before the pandemic.
It marks the fourth straight year of growth in baptisms, with significant spikes in states outside the South, including Wyoming, Arizona, New York, and Indiana. Southern strongholds like Georgia, Florida, and Texas led the way, each reporting at least 25,000 baptisms.
Weekly worship attendance also rose to 4.3 million, and small group participation climbed to 2.5 million, both increasing around six per cent, largely reflecting post-pandemic recovery.
Despite this growth, total membership continues to decline. The SBC fell to 12.7 million members in 2024, its lowest since 1974. “The largest portion of membership declines come from churches acknowledging that certain members are gone for good and removing their names,” Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research wrote.
Since 2006, SBC membership has dropped every year, with the steepest declines, 1.8 million, coming after the pandemic began. Overall, 46,876 congregations remain affiliated with the SBC, 30 fewer than the year before.
The report comes as the SBC’s congregations are getting ready to meet in June, where delegates will address ongoing abuse reforms and consider reaffirming the denomination’s stance on women in ministry.
