Senior pastors at Southern Baptist churches have had to make do with less pay and even less purchasing power recently. Compared to two years ago, the average Southern Baptist pastor’s pay package and total compensation have decreased while inflation continues to rise, according to a study conducted by Baptist state conventions along with Lifeway Research […]
Blackwell commits to ‘come alongside’ churches at Lifeway trustee meeting
Brentwood, Tenn. — Surrounded by friends and family, Ryan Blackwell was installed as the 11th president and CEO of Lifeway Christian Resources on Monday evening, Aug. 24. The installation service, held during the organization’s biannual Board of Trustees meeting, brought together Southern Baptist leaders and Blackwell’s ministry mentors to encourage and challenge the new Lifeway […]
SBC sees attendance, baptism gains amid membership declines
Brentwood, Tenn. | Southern Baptist churches saw sustained growth in attendance and baptisms, but the two-decade membership decline continued in 2025. Total Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) membership fell by more than 3% from 2024 to 2025, dipping to 12,331,954, according to the Annual Church Profile (ACP) compiled by Lifeway Research in cooperation with Baptist state conventions. While […]
IRS opens door for pastors to endorse politicians
This week, the IRS and the National Religious Broadcasters, along with two Texas churches, participated in a joint filing asking a federal court to prevent the government from enforcing the Johnson Amendment which prohibits tax-exempt organizations from endorsing or opposing political candidates. This shift for the IRS signals that religious organizations may endorse or criticize […]
SBC’s membership decline continues amid other areas of growth
In 2024, the Southern Baptist Convention baptized more new members than in any of the previous seven years but still saw an 18th consecutive year of overall membership decline. The 12,722,266 members of Southern Baptist congregations mark a 2% decline from 2023, according to the Annual Church Profile (ACP) compiled by Lifeway Research in cooperation […]