Annual church profile reveals Southern Baptist's resurgence in baptisms, worship: 'Reasons to celebrate'

Southern Baptist congregations saw growth in baptisms, worship attendance and small group participation in 2023, while membership decline slowed compared to recent years, according to the Annual Church Profile (ACP) compiled by Lifeway Christian Resources. The 2023 ACP, a statistical census of Southern Baptist congregations that included responses from about 7 in 10 churches in the denomination, found that membership dropped for the 17th consecutive year, dipping below 13 million for the first time since the 1970s. However, the 1.8% decline was smaller than in previous years. Total baptisms grew...