If you attend a small Southern Baptist church you're in good company; 43% now report fewer than 50 worship attendees

While the denomination remains predominantly concentrated in the South, the Northeast is the only region where Southern Baptist churches are experiencing growth.

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A recent analysis of the 2023 Annual Church Profile (ACP) by Lifeway Research points to intriguing trends in Southern Baptist congregations across the United States.

While the denomination remains predominantly concentrated in the South, the Northeast is the only region where Southern Baptist churches are experiencing growth.

Statistics show a marked increase in smaller congregations within the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). In 2023, 43% of SBC churches reported fewer than 50 attendees at weekly worship services, up from 38% in 2018. Overall, seven in 10 churches draw less than 100 attendees weekly. Medium-sized congregations with 100-249 attendees account for 20%, while larger churches averaging 250-499 make up 6%. Only 4% of SBC churches see 500 or more in weekly attendance.

Geographically, nearly 78% of Southern Baptist churches are located in the South, with smaller proportions in the Midwest (11%), the West (9%), and the Northeast (2%). Suburban areas host 45% of SBC congregations, while urban and rural regions are home to 28% and 27%, respectively.

Half of all Southern Baptist congregations were founded during the 20th century. Among these, 21% began between 1900-1949, and 29% were established from 1950-1999. Nearly a quarter (27%) have origins before 1900, while 23% were founded since 2000.

Source: Lifeway Research

Participation in Small Groups Declines

Since the pandemic, Southern Baptist churches have been baptizing more people. Baptisms increased by 26% from 2022 to 2023. Combined with the 16% increase from 2021 to 2022, the SBC has seen a 47% increase over two years. Despite a rise in baptism rates, many congregations continue to face challenges related to size and member participation in small groups.

Engagement in small groups, such as Sunday School, remains a critical metric for discipleship. However, participation rates are dwindling. Around one-third of churches report fewer than half of their worship attendees participating in small groups. Specifically, 9% involve fewer than 25% of attendees, while 22% fall between 25% and less than 50%. Conversely, 41% of churches engage between 50% and less than 75%, and 19% see more than 75% involved.

Notably, the share of churches with less than 25% small group participation rose from 6% in 2018 to 9% in 2023, signaling an ongoing challenge for engagement efforts within the Convention.

Read the entire Lifeway Research report.