The numbers are in, and the results are positive: South Carolina Baptist Convention churches baptized 18,970 believers in 2009, a significant increase from the previous year.

It was the largest number of baptisms recorded by SCBC churches in more than 50 years and is a figure that has been exceeded only twice: in 1950 and 1951. The increase follows an eight-year period during which the number of baptisms hovered between about 16,000 and 17,000.

There were 3,040 more baptisms reported by churches in 2009 than in 2008. When reporting differences are factored in (almost 90 percent of churches filed Annual Church Profile reports in 2009; about 85 percent reported in 2008), the “apples-to-apples” rate of increase translates to about 8 percent, said Jim Austin, SCBC executive director-treasurer.

“We rejoice that God is at work,” said Austin, who cited an increased level of receptivity to the gospel by people going through tough economic times and “intentionality on the part of our churches in sharing the gospel” as possible reasons for the growth in baptisms.

“I think God has used the recession to bring about a renewed hunger for spiritual truth,” he said, “and many are becoming more receptive to the gospel because they realize their securities were false, having put their trust in things or jobs or retirement accounts and realizing that only Jesus is permanent.

“I hope every church will continue to be intentional about seizing the opportunity we have, because it may not last long. We have an open window. We should seize the moment.”

Marshall Fagg, outgoing associate executive director of the SCBC’s evangelization and missions team, said he applauds South Carolina churches “for being obedient to the Great Commission at a time when baptisms are declining all across North America.”

Fagg said he expects churches to reach a record number of baptisms in 2010 as many congregations across the state embrace the North American Mission Board’s witnessing emphasis, GPS (God’s Plan for Sharing), which is set to culminate with churches holding simultaneous baptism services on Easter Sunday. “It may be the largest number of baptisms in a single day in our convention’s history,” he predicted.

Jim Goodroe, director of Spartanburg County Baptist Network, which led all South Carolina associations with 1,082 baptisms, said he has “mixed feelings” about the honor. “I praise God for a [Spartanburg] church baptizing 200, and two more churches baptizing 50,” he said, “but our 92 churches have 44,403 resident members, so 1,082 total baptisms means it took 53.7 of us a whole year to get each baptism.”

Like Fagg, Goodroe feels GPS is an opportunity to “get every believer sharing.”

“A major obstacle is that most of us have been so involved inside the church for so long that we do not really know any lost people,” said Goodroe, “so we must be intentional about building relationships with them.”

Goodroe pointed to statistics that show a church’s outward focus lasts only about the first 10 years of its history, then the focus shifts inward. “Existing churches need to be planting and partnering with new churches, which are one of the most effective evangelism strategies,” he said. “Instead of seeing new churches as competitors, we must view them as missionaries to segments of our culture which existing churches are not reaching.”

Fagg echoed Goodroe’s call for planting new churches. “An interesting trend is the high number of baptisms recorded by the newer and the unaffiliated churches across our convention,” he said. “This should demonstrate the great value of planting new churches in reaching the 3.25 million South Carolinians who have no personal relationship with Jesus Christ.”

Churches unaffiliated with a local association reported more baptisms – almost 3,000 – than any single association, according to the 2009 baptism statistics. The top two churches reporting baptisms – NewSpring Church in Anderson (1,328) and The Warehouse in Easley (250) – are among 107 SCBC churches not affiliated with a local Baptist association. Currently, 2,089 churches are affiliated with the SCBC.

NewSpring Church, based in Anderson but with three satellite campuses across the state, baptized more than 900 believers on a single Sunday in September 2009.

“NewSpring Church is excited about being a part of what God is doing in the local church in South Carolina,” said Suzanne Swift, a spokesperson for the church. “We are humbled to serve alongside other churches, sharing Jesus with our communities.”