May 6, 2002

SBC membership gains a bit, but baptisms take a plunge
___NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Membership is up, but baptisms are down in Southern Baptist churches.
___That's the picture painted by statistical data submitted from churches nationwide to the Southern Baptist Convention for 2001. The reports are compiled and analyzed annually by LifeWay Christian Resources.
___Membership set a record of 16.05 million, an increase of 92,612 over the previous year. That's a gain of 0.58 percent, slower growth than the 0.68 percent gain the previous year.
___The total number of SBC-affiliated churches also grew, reaching 42,334, a 1.79 percent increase, or 746 more than the year before. However, the number of church-type missions operated by churches declined by 5.91 percent, or 310, to a total of 4,933.
___The number of baptisms reported in SBC-affiliated churches declined 4.52 percent for the year. The 395,930 baptisms fell 18,727 or 4.52 percent short of the previous year's total.
___Other findings:
___ Music ministry enrollment/participation increased 3.29 percent, or 54,442, to a total of 1,709,319.
___ Sunday morning average worship attendance grew by 3.36 percent, or 186,541, to 5.73 million.
___ Total tithes, offerings and special gifts increased to $8.3 billion, up 6.68 percent
___ Undesignated receipts grew to $6.45 billion, a 7.77 percent gain.
___ Total receipts increased by 5.90 percent to $8.96 billion.
___ Sunday School enrollment declined 3,671, or 0.04 percen.t to a total of 8.18 million.
___ Discipleship training enrollment/participation declined 6.24 percent, or 137,713, to a total of 2.07 million.
___ Woman's Missionary Union enrollment declined 34,477, or 3.86 percent, to a total of 857,680.
___ Men/boys mission education enrollment dropped 13.29 percent, or 64,773, to 422,637.
___ Total value of church property grew 13.83 percent to $28.69 billion.

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