For the first time, Southern Baptists can say membership has reached a tipping point and the nation's largest Protestant denomination is now declining, says one long-time Southern Baptist.
"The decline that many of us have already believed is there is now becoming real," said Ed Stetzer, director for LifeWay Research, in an interview featured on MondayMorningInsight.com, a Web site for pastors and church leaders.
Baptisms in the Southern Baptist Convention fell for the third straight year in 2007 to the denomination's lowest level since 1987, dropping nearly 5.5 percent to 345,941, according to LifeWay Christian Resources' Annual Church Profile (ACP), which was released this week....
Derek wrote: Some of your obsevations is why people like Lester Roloff, John R. Rice, Jack HIles, J. Frank Norris, etc., etc., left the SBC. These men could see back in the 30's and 40's where the SBC was going. And they preached against it, and finally left. There are many great IFB churches that are still preaching hard against sin and modernism. I have much family in the SBC, and honestly it is just as much plain old tradition as it is with those born into Catholisism. Very sad actually.
Dear Derek:
The late Jack Hyles was reputed to be a serial adulterer! It is on record that he broke up one of his Deacons marriage. How sad.
The church probably would not follow me out. We have a very low budget and give $1200 to the CP. As far as me personally in a IBC, most are KJVO and border on legalism in other matters.
But I am furious over the NC baptist support of 6 dead colleges. I forget how many millions are wasted. I have only been at this church for 12 months, I know I will never seek to up our CP giving, and maybe in 4 years I will have more trust to make other changes with that $1200. There is too many blind tradition in these people to rationally understand the folly of their way. (Maybe church planting would be easier for me.)
Some of your obsevations is why people like Lester Roloff, John R. Rice, Jack HIles, J. Frank Norris, etc., etc., left the SBC. These men could see back in the 30's and 40's where the SBC was going. And they preached against it, and finally left. There are many great IFB churches that are still preaching hard against sin and modernism. I have much family in the SBC, and honestly it is just as much plain old tradition as it is with those born into Catholisism. Very sad actually.
supralap wrote: I agree Michael. As a SBC born and bred man, who went to an SBC seminary, and is a pastor in the SBC, I am fed up with Masonic foolery and Warren foolery. I am glad the SBC is declining. A farmer does not want 10 acres of tares among his 11 plowed. We have 8 million who never show up regularly anyway, yet I promise you they will still cook the books somehow.
Have you considered pulling out of the SBC and going independent? What do you have to lose? What happens when you withdraw your churches 10% support to the Cooperative Program?
I remember serving as a delegate at a state convention back in 2001 where the fight was over the 2001 Baptist Faith & Message concerning restricting the pastorate to men and the wives being in submission to their own husbands.
As a SBC born and bred man, who went to an SBC seminary, and is a pastor in the SBC, I am fed up with Masonic foolery and Warren foolery.
I am glad the SBC is declining. A farmer does not want 10 acres of tares among his 11 plowed. We have 8 million who never show up regularly anyway, yet I promise you they will still cook the books somehow.
"Southern Baptists have always said 'We're growing. We're growing slow.' You can't say it anymore."
Considering the state of religion in the west and that all denominations have been in decline for decades now - it is no surprise really.
Perhaps we are heading for another famine?? Amos 8:11 "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD"
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