Overall number of Protestant churches declines despite SBC growth

U.S. Protestant churches endured a difficult 2020, including starting the year with fewer congregations. In 2019, approximately 3,000 Protestant churches were started in the U.S., but 4,500 Protestant churches closed, according to estimates from Nashville-based LifeWay Research. The number of Southern Baptist churches, however, grew in both 2019 and 2020. Church plants totaled 588 in […]

Southern Baptists grow in number of churches, plant 588 new congregations amid COVID-19 pandemic

Annual Church Profile data collected for 2020 by LifeWay Christian Resources shows the staggering impact of COVID-19 but also the faithfulness of Southern Baptists to give to missions, even when many couldn’t gather for in-person worship for much of the year. Importantly, the number of cooperating Southern Baptist churches grew to 47,592, even with a […]