What Do Declining Numbers Mean for Southern Baptists? by Peter Lumpkins

Will Hall, Executive Director of Baptist Press, offers another perspective concerning whether the demographic studies support the popular, conference circuit mantra "The Southern Baptist Convention is a dying denomination."

An interesting quote by Will Hall:

In isolation, the ACP data might be interpreted to suggest the SBC is a denomination in decline. However, when ACP information is examined against research conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, it is evident that demographic changes in our country have been the major shaping force of our membership numbers, not outdated methodologies nor a generation gap in the leadership of our churches and institutions...

For too long, the numbers produced by the ACP have been used in isolation to assess on the basis of face value the evangelistic effectiveness of our churches. Unfortunately, what have resulted largely are superficial conclusions and calls for abandoning what is broadly described as "1950s methodologies" (//link)

It's definitely worth our time as Southern Baptists to consider Hall's analysis.

With that, I am...
Peter

WILL HALL'S ENTIRE SERIES

Article I:  ANALYSIS:  God is Not Dead and Neither is Christianity in America (//link)

Article II:  ANALYSIS: What do the Numbers Mean--is the SBC in decline? Part I (//link)

Article III: ANALYSIS: What do the Numbers Mean--is the SBC in decline? Part II (//link)

Article IV:  ANALYSIS: Are Evangelicals Fractured & Losing Influence in the Public Square? (//link)

Comments

[Les Puryear]

Wow! Excellent series by Will Hall. Thanks for linking this.

[peter]

Les,

Thanks. Hall's analysis is surely something about which we should think long and hard, and about which should stir more open but serious dialog about the SBC.

Especially is this crucial during times when we've got public calls for tens of millions of dollars spent on restructuring, merging, etc, etc. If our data is inaccurate or too incomplete, we're likely to make regrettable decisions.

Further, I'm certainly not saying Hall's analysis stands or should stand as definitive. But somewhere Southern Baptist bloggers--obviously me included--simply must get over our love-affair with instant proclamations, quick determinations, and forged conclusions based on premature, half-baked evidences.

With that, I am...
Peter

[Chris Gilliam]

well well what a little more research sheds light on. That includes your book too.