– Advertisement –

Southern Baptist Convention Sees Biggest Drop in Membership In Over a Hundred Years

by | May 11, 2023 | News, Religion, Social Justice, Social-Issues, The Church | 0 comments

✪ Read this article ad-free and leave comments here on Substack

As the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) navigates choppy waters, a recent report by LifeWay Research indicates a troubling decrease in membership and congregations despite an uptick in baptisms, giving, and attendance. However, what many attribute to the normal ebb and flow of religious adherence may, in fact, be symptomatic of a deeper malaise – a creeping departure from traditional theological principles, trading the gospel for social justice.

It should be noted that the reported uptick in baptisms isn’t due to an uptick in actual conversions to Christianity or lost people truly coming to know Christ and to trust in Him. Rather it is due to the top-down promotional efforts to coerce people into baptisms with gimmicks, contests, and prizes. The very notion of a “Baptism Sunday” in the denomination is nothing more than an effort to increase membership in the pews which in turn increases a church’s income—which subsequently increases the denomination’s cooperative program funds.

According to the LifeWay report, in 2022, the SBC, the largest Protestant denomination in the United States, witnessed a significant drop in membership, with a decrease of 457,371 members. This marks the largest single-year numerical drop in over a century, revealing a worrying trend of an annual 3% decline over the past three years.

On the surface, this exodus might be explained by a simple falling-off of inactive members, as suggested by Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. However, this dismissive explanation may mask a more profound issue – the SBC’s inexorable lurch towards left-wing politics and the consequent erosion of its doctrinal orthodoxy.

Join Us and Get These Perks:

✅ No Ads in Articles
✅ Access to Comments and Discussions
✅ Community Chats
✅ Full Article and Podcast Archive
✅ The Joy of Supporting Our Work 😉



In recent years, the SBC has swerved from more conservative theological boundaries and has increasingly embraced progressive stances on issues such as female pastoral leadership, homosexuality, and abortion. This detour from biblical orthodoxy could be leaving its core constituents feeling alienated and marginalized, contributing to the downward spiral in membership.

The SBC’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC), the body, intended to address moral and public policy issues, is being led by people who are more than willing to compromise on critical biblical issues such as abortion for the sake of appeasing the culture, striking a discordant note with much of the SBC’s traditionally conservative base and driving a wedge between the organization and its rank and file membership.

Three Ways to Support DISNTR


The Dissenter is primarily supported by its readers. The best way to support us is to subscribe to our members-only Substack site where you will receive all of our content ad-free, plus you will get member-only exclusive content.

Support us with a monthly donation on Patreon

Support us with membership to our ad-free Substack

Make one-time or monthly donation on Donorbox


👕 Or make a purchase from our online store. 👕
Make a Dogecoin Donation

- Advertisement -

Latest

The Teen Who Waited Too Long to Murder Her Child is Sentenced

The Teen Who Waited Too Long to Murder Her Child is Sentenced

In a Nebraska courtroom, justice was finally dispensed—but not in the way most would assume. Chloe Coplen-Anderson, now 18, was sentenced to 35 to 60 years in prison after being convicted of slitting her newborn son’s throat shortly after giving birth in her bedroom....

Anti-Trinitarian Heretic, TD Jakes is Stepping Down

Anti-Trinitarian Heretic, TD Jakes is Stepping Down

At long last, the velvet-tongued emperor of Christian celebrity culture, Bishop T.D. Jakes, has announced his exit from the pulpit of The Potter’s House—the crumbling empire he built atop the rotting carcass of the Word of Faith movement and anti-Trinitarian heresy....

- Advertisement -

Subscribe

Store

Follow Us

- Advertisement -

- Advertisement -

You Might Also Like…

The Teen Who Waited Too Long to Murder Her Child is Sentenced

The Teen Who Waited Too Long to Murder Her Child is Sentenced

In a Nebraska courtroom, justice was finally dispensed—but not in the way most would assume. Chloe Coplen-Anderson, now 18, was sentenced to 35 to 60 years in prison after being convicted of slitting her newborn son’s throat shortly after giving birth in her bedroom....

Anti-Trinitarian Heretic, TD Jakes is Stepping Down

Anti-Trinitarian Heretic, TD Jakes is Stepping Down

At long last, the velvet-tongued emperor of Christian celebrity culture, Bishop T.D. Jakes, has announced his exit from the pulpit of The Potter’s House—the crumbling empire he built atop the rotting carcass of the Word of Faith movement and anti-Trinitarian heresy....

False Teacher of the Day #62: Levi Lusko

False Teacher of the Day #62: Levi Lusko

Levi Lusko has built a reputation as the quintessential hip, modern megachurch pastor—tattoos, trendy sneakers, polished storytelling, and a high-production platform that attracts the crowds and flatters the culture. But beneath the fashionable exterior and charming...

False Teacher of the Day #61: Craig Groeschel

False Teacher of the Day #61: Craig Groeschel

He walks onto the stage with a flawless smile and a perfectly-timed pause. The lights dim, the audience leans in, and for thirty minutes, the man speaks with the cadence of a TED Talker and the certainty of a Silicon Valley mogul pitching salvation like a subscription...

- Advertisement -

 

Want to go ad-free with exclusive content? Subscribe today.
Already a subscriber? Click Here

Three Ways to Support DISNTR



The Dissenter is primarily supported by its readers. The best way to support us is to subscribe to our members-only Substack site where you will receive all of our content ad-free, plus you will get member-only exclusive content.

 

Support us with a monthly donation on Patreon

Support us with membership to our ad-free Substack

Make one-time or monthly donation on Donorbox


👕 Or make a purchase from our online store. 👕