Direct missions involvement rises, baptisms fall, church data shows_51704

Posted: 5/14/04

Direct missions involvement rises,
baptisms fall, church data shows

By Ferrell Foster

Texas Baptist Communications

DALLAS–Texas Baptists are getting out of their church buildings and moving into mission fields, church data analyzed by the Baptist General Convention of Texas shows.

The annual church profile revealed 180,170 people were involved in missions projects in 2003, said Clay Price, associate director of research information for the BGCT. Those numbers count each time a person participated in a project.

In 2002, 140,901 Texas Baptists were involved in hands-on missions.

Comparing statistical data has been difficult in recent years, because some churches left the BGCT to join the competing Southern Baptists of Texas Convention.

The BGCT had a net loss of 65 congregations in 2003, with a total of 5,651 compared to 5,716 the previous year.

The convention, by far the largest Baptist group in the state, started 234 congregations and dropped 299. Of those that dropped, 160 disbanded.

In order to determine trends, Price compared 2003 to 2000, removing from the earlier period churches that have since joined another convention. Using that comparison, the number of BGCT congregations has grown 4.7 percent over the three-year period to 5,651 from 5,395.

Another challenge in compiling the statistics is that only about two-thirds of congregations submitted information on the annual church profile forms, Price said. That has been the pattern for the past couple of years, but it is a lower percentage than in previous years.

Of churches reporting in 2003, baptisms dropped below the 50,000 mark for the first time since 1948, with 48,920 reported, Price said. However, he noted that total baptisms would have been more than 60,000 if churches previously in the BGCT had not formed another convention in the state.

The drop in BGCT baptisms occurred among the youngest and the oldest. In each of three categories from ages 12 to 59, BGCT baptisms climbed in 2003 from the previous year.

To determine how well BGCT churches did in 2003 compared to their recent past, the 2000 numbers with the non-BGCT churches removed is actually the best indicator, Price said.

Using those figures, the following ups and downs are revealed:

Baptisms dropped 10.3 percent.

Sunday morning worship attendance rose 4.7 percent.

Sunday school average attendance climbed 2.8 percent.

Discipleship Training participation fell 12.8 percent.

Music enrollment dipped 0.2 percent.

Baptist Men involvement dropped 1.9 percent.

Woman's Missionary Union fell 11.2 percent.

Mission project volunteers soared 24.8 percent.

Total financial receipts climbed 11.4 percent.

Total missions giving went up 8.8 percent.

Church debt rose 30.3 percent.

In regard to finances, churches appear to be spending more on their own congregations, Price said. While undesignated receipts are up 15.1 percent, designated receipts are up only 1.9 percent.

That may be related to the big jump in church debt, with BGCT churches owing $563 million in 2003 versus $432 million in 2000. Local missions projects and rising costs for personnel also may play a role in the small increase for designated giving.

The annual church profile revealed 180,170 Texas Baptists were involved in missions projects in 2003