<p>Membership in the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/southern-baptists" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Southern Baptist Convention</a> witnessed the largest single-year decline in at least a century as the nation reels from the aftermath of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/lockdowns" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lockdown</a> mandates and pastors become concerned about the denomination’s theologically <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/woke" target="_blank" rel="noopener">liberal</a> drift.</p>
<p>The nation’s largest Protestant denomination saw a decline from 13.7 million members in 2021 to 13.2 million members in 2022, a decrease of more than 3% which continues the trajectory seen over the last three years, according to <a href="https://research.lifeway.com/2023/05/09/southern-baptists-decline-in-membership-grow-in-attendance-baptisms/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> released by Lifeway Research, a provider of church business services for the Southern Baptist Convention.</p>
<p>“Much of the downward movement we are seeing in membership reflects people who stopped participating in an individual congregation years ago and the record keeping is finally catching up,” Lifeway Research Executive Director Scott McConnell said in a statement. “Membership totals for a congregation immediately reflect additions as well as subtractions due to death or someone removing themselves from membership. But many congregations are slow to remove others who no longer are participating.”</p>
<p>Even as the number of baptisms and the amount of giving increased from the previous year, the Southern Baptist Convention is now composed of 416 fewer churches between 2021 and 2022. Unlike other more centralized denominations, the Southern Baptist Convention is a voluntary association of autonomous churches which fund seminaries, missionary efforts, and publications as they <a href="https://bfm.sbc.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">adhere</a> to the Baptist Faith and Message statement of doctrinal convictions.</p>
<p>Lockdowns contributed to a broader decline of religiosity in the United States as many congregants never <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/wheat-and-chaff-a-three-year-post-mortem-on-evangelical-church-attendance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">returned</a> to traditional worship services. Church attendance has fallen to 85% of pre-lockdown levels in Protestant denominations even after nearly every church in the country resumed normal operations, according to another <a href="https://research.lifeway.com/2022/11/08/churches-are-open-but-still-recovering-from-pandemic-attendance-losses/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">study</a> from Lifeway Research.</p>
<p>Those who continued to profess Christianity became increasingly theologically liberal in their beliefs: a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/from-the-inspiration-of-scripture-to-gender-identity-evangelicalism-sees-a-massive-leftward-shift" target="_blank" rel="noopener">survey</a> from Ligonier Ministries found that the share of self-identified evangelicals who believe “gender identity is a matter of choice” rose from 22% to 37% between 2020 and 2022, while the share who believe “the Bible’s condemnation of homosexual behavior doesn’t apply today” more than doubled from 11% to 28% over the same time horizon.</p>
<p>Record decline in Southern Baptist Convention membership occurs as hundreds of pastors throughout the country notice the liberal direction of the denomination. The trend is perhaps most palpable at the institutional level: Southern Baptist Convention President Bart Barber and other leaders have faced <a href="https://americanreformer.org/2023/04/mr-smith-goes-to-the-convention/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criticism</a> for neglecting to rebuke the dozens of churches which have <a href="https://gk2611.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Churches-with-Female-Pastors-from-churches.sbc_.net_-2.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">installed</a> female pastors, a practice denounced in the Baptist Faith and Message.</p>
<p>Officials at the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, the denomination’s public policy arm, meanwhile <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/southern-baptist-ethics-arm-doubles-down-on-support-for-tennessee-red-flag-law-despite-pushback" target="_blank" rel="noopener">endorsed</a> a red flag law in Tennessee months after they <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pro-life-lobbying-groups-issue-letter-against-charging-women-with-crimes-for-seeking-abortions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">opposed</a> a bill in Louisiana that would have criminalized abortion for all parties involved, even though Southern Baptists passed a <a href="https://www.sbc.net/resource-library/resolutions/on-abolishing-abortion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resolution</a> affirming that “the murder of preborn children is a crime against humanity that must be punished equally under the law” the previous summer. Former Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission President Russell Moore said three years ago that ministers should <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-the-federal-government-used-evangelical-leaders-to-spread-covid-propaganda-to-churches" target="_blank" rel="noopener">persuade</a> church members to accept vaccination and wear face masks.</p>
<p>The Daily Wire reviewed several emails from concerned former Southern Baptist Convention pastors sent to Mike Law, a minister at Arlington Baptist Church in Virginia, who had contacted thousands of pastors to garner support for his <a href="https://sbcamendment.org/home-2/why-now/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">efforts</a> to address the female pastor phenomenon. Many of the churches represented by the pastors have left the denomination in recent months.</p>
<p>“You can take our church off your mailing list,” one pastor replied. “We do not support the socialist movement that has infiltrated the convention and are no longer a member.”</p>
<p>“Our congregation is no longer in the SBC because of their liberal stances on this and their support in fighting an abolition bill in Louisiana,” another minister said. “I pray along with you that the SBC leadership would be convicted by your efforts and the many churches like us who are stepping away,” added a third pastor.</p>
<p>“We truly appreciate your efforts to uphold the Bible. I’m just letting you know that our church voted to leave the SBC this past summer,” commented a fourth. “We felt that this issue was just one that should have been addressed in 2022. There were other issues, so we chose to become non-denominational and break from the SBC.”</p>
<p>Controversy over the ordination of women in the Southern Baptist Convention emerged last year as Rick Warren, the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in California, selected a husband and wife team to replace him at the megachurch after his retirement, drawing rebukes from veteran conservative ministers. The congregation was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/southern-baptists-disfellowship-saddleback-church-over-female-pastor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">disfellowshipped</a> from the denomination earlier this year, a move which Warren will be permitted to appeal next month.</p>

<script async src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script><div data-widget-host="revcontent" data-pub-id="165152" data-widget-id="290588"></div><script src="https://delivery.revcontent.com/165152/290588/widget.js"></script>

SBC Sees Largest One-Year Membership Decline In A Century, Churches Leave Due To Liberal Drift

CONTINUE READING

Bud Light Sales Continue To Plummet, May Soon Lose Status As Number-One Beer

‘Profoundly Christian’: Former Head Of Anglican Church Presses British Government To Endorse Assisted Suicide

Ben Shapiro Reacts To Debt Limit Deal, Hits Both Democrats And Republicans Over Spending Habits

‘The Chosen’ Defends Pride Flag Spotted On Set: ‘Let The Show Speak For Itself’

Chick-Fil-A Faces Backlash As Their Diversity Efforts Resurface, Other Woke Brands Take Beating

North Korea Sentenced Two-Year-Old To Life In Prison After Family Caught With Bible: State Department

News

Christianity

Lockdowns

Southern Baptists

Wokeness

A video goes viral showing a baby being refused his mother by two gay "dads". This is just the tip of the iceberg, which is why we will have an important discussion today about surrogacy. 

Hour 1

The Matt Walsh Show

Ep. 1765 - This Video Is One Of The Worst Things I've Seen In A Long Time 

The Strait of Hormuz officially opens for business (kind of), the Pope makes “shocking” comments on immigration, and President Trump promises UFO disclosure at TPUSA. 


The Michael Knowles Show

Ep. 1956 -  Pope Leo's "SHOCKING" Immigration Comments EXPLAINED

A false miscreed has corrupted our leadership class.


The Andrew Klavan Show

Ep. 1275 - Dumb, Dumber and Progressive

President Trump announces a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, a murder-suicide involving former Democratic Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax shakes Virginia, and France and Britain hold a conference to secure the Strait of Hormuz – after the Iranian conflict ends. Get the facts first with Morning Wire.

- - -

Ep. 2738

- - -

Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3

- - -

Today's Sponsors:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text 'WIRE' to 83848 to learn more.

Pocket Hose - Text MORNING to 64000 to get a FREE pocket pivot and their 10-pattern sprayer with the purchase of ANY size Copper Head hose. Message and data rates may apply.

Morning Wire

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26 [Member Exclusive]

A ceasefire goes into effect between Israel and Lebanon, a tragic murder-suicide rocks Virginia, and Dairy Queen deploys AI in the drive-thru. Get the facts first with Evening Wire.
- - -
Ep. 2737
- - -
Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3 
- - -
Today’s Sponsor:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text “WIRE” to 83848 to learn more.


Evening Wire: Lebanon Ceasefire Begins & Murder-Suicide Rocks VA | 4.16.26

The Pendragon Cycle

Menu

— News —

SBC Sees Largest One-Year Membership Decline In A Century, Churches Leave Due To Liberal Drift