Membership in Southern Baptist churches set an all-time record in 2001 with a total of 16,052,920 persons, an increase of 92,612 over the previous year.
The total number of churches grew to 42,334, a 1.79 percent increase, or 746 churches more than the 2000 total of 41,588. At the same time, church-type missions operated by churches declined by 5.91 percent or 310 to a total of 4,933.
According to a report by the Alabama Baptist State Convention, the number of churches in Alabama grew by 26, or 0.82 percent, from 3,172 in 2000 to 3,198 in 2001. Membership also increased by 1.13 percent, or 12,560, from 1,108,981 in 2000 to 1,121,541 in 2001.
LifeWay Christian Resources compiles the Annual Church Profile from church reports routed through local Baptist associations and state conventions.
While membership grew — though the increase of 0.58 percent was less than the gain of 108,552 or 0.68 percent in 2000 — baptisms declined by 18,727 or 4.52 percent to a total of 395,930. The decline ends four years of baptism totals above 400,000.
Alabama also followed this decline, with baptisms down by 4.32 percent, or 1,125, from 26,065 in 2000 to 24,940 in 2001.
SBC music ministry enrollment/ participation increased 3.29 percent or 54,442 to a total of 1,709,319.
Sunday morning average worship attendance grew by 3.36 percent or 186,541 to 5,730,980.
Other SBC increases were reported in total tithes, offerings and special gifts to $8,314,899,294 (6.68 percent above 2000), as well as undesignated receipts of $6,445,430,643 (7.77 percent above 2000). Total receipts increased by 5.90 percent to $8,935,013,659.
Sunday School enrollment declined 3,671 or 0.04 percent to a total of 8,182,744, following an increase of 0.48 percent in 2000.
Discipleship training enrollment/participation declined 6.24 percent, or 137,713 to a total of 2,070,714.
Other declines were registered in WMU enrollment and Men/Boys Missions Education Enrollment. WMU enrollment declined 34,477 or 3.86 percent to a total of 857,680. Men/Boys Missions Education enrollment dropped 13.29 percent or 64,773 to 422,637.
Value of church property grew 13.83 percent to $28,686,588,811. This increase is partially due to reporting from more states in 2001 than in 2000.
(BP, TAB)
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