April 28, 2003
SBC membership grows slightly while baptisms dip again
___NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Membership in Southern Baptist churches grew slightly last year, but baptisms took another dip.
___According to statistics from the Annual Church Profiles completed by Southern Baptist Convention churches nationwide, total membership reached 16.25 million, a gain of 1.21 percent or 194,816 people.
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___Baptisms, however, dropped off by 0.26 percent to 394,893. That's 1,037 fewer baptisms than the year before, continuing a generally downward trend of recent years.
___The total number of churches affiliated with the SBC grew to 42,775, a 1.04 percent increase, or 441 churches more than the 2001 total. At the same time, church-type missions operated by churches grew 10.26 percent to a total of 5,439, an increase of 506.
___Sunday morning average worship attendance grew by 1.9 percent or 108,965 to 5,839,945. That means slightly more than one-third of the people on the membership rolls of SBC churches attend worship on a typical Sunday.
___Music ministry enrollment/ participation decreased 2.98 percent or 51,009 to 1,66 million.
___Other increases were reported in total tithes, offerings and special gifts to $8.681 billion, which is 4.41 percent above 2001, as well as undesignated receipts of $6.79 billion, 5.3 percent above 2001. Total receipts increased by 5.89 percent to $9.46 billion.
___Sunday School enrollment declined 8,251 or 0.10 percent to a total of 8.17 million. Discipleship training enrollment/participation showed an increase of 1.45 percent, or 30,038 to a total of 2.1 million, following a 6.24 percent decrease in 2001.
___Woman's Missionary Union enrollment and men/boys mission education enrollment both showed increases. WMU enrollment increased by 105,434, or 12.29 percent, to a total of 963,114. Men/boys mission education enrollment grew 3.08 percent or 13,009 to 435,646.
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