I’m an SBC pastor from the Savannah, GA area. Lifeway compiles data from ACPs (Annual Church Profiles) to determine membership numbers. Most recently the data said there were 16.6 million SBC members, but Sunday AM attendance was about 6.1 million attenders. That means that more than 2/3 of those counted as members in SBC churches do not attend with any regularity.
I think the decline is due to: (1) Secularization/materialism of culture, (2) Tradition bound churches, (3) Decisional regeneration (the idea that walking an aisle equates to actual regeneration), (4) Lack of passion in the ministry and laity pertaining to discipleship, (5) Naturalistic agenda of Educational institutions undermining faith in college students, (6) Evangelical and Catholic scandals of the last three decades and erosion of institutional trust, and (6) Failure of SBC leadership to relate to the reality that 95% of our churches are 200 or less in membership.
I know it’s an ecclectic list, but those are some of the broad issues IMHO.
I think the decline is due to: (1) Secularization/materialism of culture, (2) Tradition bound churches, (3) Decisional regeneration (the idea that walking an aisle equates to actual regeneration), (4) Lack of passion in the ministry and laity pertaining to discipleship, (5) Naturalistic agenda of Educational institutions undermining faith in college students, (6) Evangelical and Catholic scandals of the last three decades and erosion of institutional trust, and (6) Failure of SBC leadership to relate to the reality that 95% of our churches are 200 or less in membership.
I know it’s an ecclectic list, but those are some of the broad issues IMHO.
Comments