We have heard so much in the last 10 to 20 years about the decline of Christianity in America. We should be multiplying our numbers, but we aren’t. The inseparable force of evangelism and discipleship should be producing more disciples of Christ.
People point to a lower birth rate as a factor in the decline — particularly among white Americans, the overwhelming majority of Southern Baptists. In addition, the death rate also impacts the decreasing numbers. Another factor magnifying the decline is the significant decrease in members in the mainline Protestant churches, often referred to as the seven sisters: United Methodist Church (which apparently will become two distinct branches soon), Disciples of Christ, Presbyterian USA, Episcopal, Evangelical Lutheran Church, American Baptist Churches USA, and United Church of Christ. The decline from these churches since 1960 has been dramatic.
When polls are conducted, Christianity is the grouping of these seven churches, the Catholic Church, and all the rest of evangelicals and other denominations. It is a broad-based inclusion.
Southern Baptists are the largest group of “Protestants” in the country with approximately 14.8 million members, but our numbers have also been declining.
The numbers are not quite as bad as they sound. Our numbers are based on the Annual Church Profile, a statistical report that churches voluntarily turn in to the associations. Approximately one-fourth of our churches do not report. With 47,456 churches reporting, Southern Baptists show 14.8 million members. However, according to that formula, the approximately 15,800-plus churches who do not report would number about 3.5 million members — bringing the total number of members to around 18.3 million. Even though we have over 18 million members, only about 6.4 million (5.2 million, if we use the ACP number of 14.8 million members) attend church weekly. That, of course, means that about two-thirds of our membership do not attend church on any given Sunday — close to 12 million a week are missing.
That has long been a trait of SBC churches. Our actual attendance never comes close to our membership numbers. Ross Douthat wrote in The New York Times that the collapse of American Christianity is overstated. He said, “Lukewarm Christianity may be declining more dramatically than intense religiosity. For those strongly affiliated, from 1990 to the present is more like a flat line than a decline.” A Catholic himself, he states, “There is a strong case that any crisis facing Christian institutions is more a Catholic crisis than a Protestant one.” Some writers have estimated that the Catholic Church loses seven members for each one it gains in America.
Another factor added to this dilemma is the rise of the “NONES,” that group of people who answer “no religion” on polls and surveys. Currently, they represent about one-fifth of the population, and we typically assume that most Millennials are in that group. However, political scientist Ryan Burge compared weekly attendance among 20-somethings today to 20-somethings in the 1990s and discovered that more of that demographic are attending today than in the 1990s. He stated, “It cannot be overlooked that attendance among Baby Boomers has been declining, and that may be a more important factor than the Millennial aftershock.”
Baptism is important. But two-thirds of our people have been baptized and do not attend church weekly. Living Christ is more important than professing Christ. We need more members who are faithful. Membership in a local church should mean something — at least weekly attendance (for those physically able to attend). Attending church and following Christ may not be the same thing, but it is doubtful we will be followers of Christ and disciple-makers if we do not even attend church regularly.
As Southern Baptists, we can grow — but we cannot do it with lukewarm church members.