The Baptist Press reports that, per the annual profile published by Lifeway Research, 21% of Southern Baptist Churches are growing, 39% have plateaued, and 40% are declining. Larger SBC churches tend to be growing, and smaller congregations are shrinking.
Dr. Richard Land, president emeritus and professor of theology at the Southern Evangelical Seminary, says that's a function of demographics.
“The gradual decline of our smaller churches, particularly in rural and exurban areas, is partially a function of population. As America becomes more urban and suburban, people move,” states Land.
The survey finds about a quarter of SBC churches were organized since the year 2000. Those are the ones that tend to be growing as their membership has increased by 12%. Meanwhile, SBC churches founded between 1950 and 1999 saw a decrease of 11%. Land says nothing has gone wrong in smaller, older churches.
“The people are faithful, but their children have moved to the city. There are fewer people in their neighborhoods than there were,” informs Land.
The question arises on what is to become of these smaller, shrinking congregations.
“Most churches, I think, will gradually either go out of business or merge with other churches,” says Land. “Some of them will be saved. Some of them will just naturally go out of business. They will have served their time and their function.”
However, Land says there's no need to panic for those that attend a smaller, rural church.
“There are a whole lot of retired pastors who would be delighted to go out and be a part-time pastor of a church that was plateaued or small in membership and couldn't afford a full-time pastor,” states Land.
