Helpful Measures

It is important to discern and deal with ideologies, teachings, and principles that do not line up with what the Bible has to say. Jesus referred to philosophies of His day as "leaven," in the context of bread. He taught in Matthew 16:
6 Then Jesus said to them, "Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees."
7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "It is because we have taken no bread."
8 But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, "O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread?
9 Do you not yet understand, or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up?
10 Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many large baskets you took up?
11 How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread?--but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees."

The annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention will begin next Tuesday, June 11 in Indianapolis. We have a significant presence of Southern Baptists in our listening area, and I want to encourage you to pray for those who will gather to fellowship together and to make decisions about important issues confronting the denomination, including an amendment that would address qualifications for pastoral leadership and the consequences for churches that do not adhere to it.  

There will also be the selection of a President of the Southern Baptist Convention, an individual who has the capacity to set the direction and tone of the convention - it is more than a figurehead; this person has the ability to appoint others who will serve in decision-making positions.  

The key issue, I believe, facing churches and denominations, is the recognition or lack of recognition of worldly ideas infiltrating the Church.  The notion of spiritual "drift" has been identified, and if we fail individually or collectively to point it out, deal with it where it has occurred, and take steps to move forward in spiritual growth, then we cannot accomplish what God wants to do through us.  The Bible talks about "leaven," and if the enemy is allowed to erect strongholds in our fellowship, it leads to division and ineffectiveness.

Prior to each year's Southern Baptist Convention, the Annual Church Profile is released, a measuring stick of numerical factors in several key areas.  The Lifeway Research website states:

The recent slide in total memberships among congregations affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention slowed in 2023, while baptisms, worship service attendance and small group participation all grew.

The Annual Church Profile (ACP) compiled by Lifeway Christian Resources in cooperation with Baptist state conventions details the annual numerical changes for the Southern Baptist Convention. Membership declined for the 17th straight year, dropping below 13 million for the first time since the mid-1970s. However, the less than 2% decline was the smallest in recent years.

The summary found on the website notes:

Total baptisms climbed to more than 226,000. In-person weekly worship service average attendance topped 4 million for the first time in three years, while in-person small group average attendance reached nearly 2.5 million. Average online worship service participation also increased.

And, those numbers could be larger, because they are based on the reports of just under 7 out of 10 churches who reported "at least one statistic" to the profile, according to Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research; who said: “This represents a massive amount of cooperation among churches and the local associations and state conventions that collected most of the data. But this also means there is more church membership and attendance, baptisms and giving beyond these totals."

Plus, while there may be declines for a variety of reasons, there is still amazing, life-changing work that is occurring. Newly elected President of the SBC Executive Committee, Jeff Iorg, said: “Southern Baptists are a force for good. We are sharing the gospel with more people, gathering for worship and Bible study in increasing numbers, giving billions to support churches serving communities across our country and sending millions to support mission enterprises around the world,” adding, “While we often address our shortcomings, it’s also good to pause and celebrate the global good Southern Baptists are accomplishing.”

I think this is a helpful perspective; because so often we can focus on the negative in the Church - and while that can be instructive, it also can cause us to not appreciate the work of God that is taking place. We have to be careful to make sure that we are identifying how and where God is moving and give Him glory. 

We also have to be keenly aware of the tension between the Church and culture; the Church and the world. We don't belong to this world, certainly, but we are called to reach those who live in it - we live in it, and by the power of the Spirit and direction of the Word, we have to determine how we are to be good representatives of our Savior. While the world would attempt to water down our witness, we have to allow the water of the Spirit, the living water, to cleanse us and flow through us so that He would be exalted.