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May 24, 2021
For the 14th year in a row, Southern Baptist membership has declined. Lifeway Christian Resources, which tracks official denominational statistics, reported 14 million Southern Baptists in 2020, a decrease of over 400,000 members from 2019.
“COVID-19 clearly impacted in-person attendance,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “Throughout much of the year, churches tried to find the right balance of both in-person and online events. More congregations participated than we expected, showing they value sharing their experience and telling the collective story of Southern Baptists.”
Worship attendance also decreased by roughly 15%, with 4.4 million people attending in-person services each week. The decline is significant but it is likely due to the global pandemic.