Brentwood, Tenn. | Baptisms, worship service attendance and small group participation all grew in 2023 among congregations affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, while the recent decline in total membership among congregations slowed. The Annual Church Profile (ACP) compiled by Lifeway Christian Resources in cooperation with Baptist state conventions details the annual numerical changes for the […]
The coming of A.I. preaching
I’m going to plagiarize a sermon, and you have to guess who wrote it,” Rabbi Joshua Franklin warned those at a synagogue in East Hampton, New York. After the two-minute talk, some guessed his father or a famous rabbi wrote it. When he revealed it was from ChatGPT, some applauded. “You’re clapping, but I’m terrified,” […]
Snapshot: How does your church compare to other SBC churches?
Editor’s note: Here in the Midwest, we know that our churches are different from congregations in the Southern Baptist stronghold down south. And here after the pandemic, we know that church is different from the way it used to be. But how different? This report drawn from the latest data on SBC churches offers a […]
Southern Baptists grow in attendance and baptisms, decline in membership
For the second straight year, baptisms and giving increased among Southern Baptist congregations. In-person worship service and small group attendance also rebounded, but total membership and the number of congregations slid. The Annual Church Profile (ACP) compiled by Lifeway Christian Resources in cooperation with Baptist state conventions paints a complicated picture for the Southern Baptist Convention but contains some positive news. […]
Growing number of pastors endorsing candidates away from church
Few pastors make political endorsements from the pulpit, but a growing number publicly back candidates when they step away from their church role. Among U.S. Protestant pastors, 1% say they have publicly endorsed a candidate for public office during a church service this year, while 98% have not, according to a new study from Nashville-based […]