Last year, I attended a seminar with Dr. Bill Day on evangelistic church growth. Dr. Day, defines a Healthy, Growing Church as a church that has had:

• 10% growth over a 5 year period.
• At least one baptism per year in that period.
• An attender to baptism ratio of 15:1.

I like this formula, because it helps us see that not every church that is a healthy church is a growing church. And not every church that is growing, grows by evangelistic growth. This formula cuts through the pack to get to the healthy, evangelistic, growing churches. 

You can see my reports on Healthy and Growing Churches in Louisiana in 2016 Here and Here.

2017 Data is in, so here’s the latest look at Healthy and Growing Churches among Louisiana Baptists:

• 182 Louisiana Baptist churches, or 10%, grew by 10% growth between 2013 and 2017.
• Only 75 Louisiana Baptist churches, or 5%, were healthy and growing churches between 2013 and 2017; with 10% growth, 1 baptism per year, and a 15:1 attender to baptism ratio.

Where are these churches?

• 27 are in south Louisiana, 48 are in north Louisiana.
• 25 along I-20, 26 in Central LA, 9 in SWLA, 15 in SELA, 1 in New Orleans, 1 in Baton Rouge.

How old are these churches?

• 3 are less than 10 years old
• 8 are 11-25 years old
• 11 are 26-50 years old
• 23 are 50-100 years old
• 30 are 100+ years old

What’s the size of these churches?

• 5,000+ – 1
• 1,000-4,999 – 4
• 500-999 – 7
• 250-499 – 9
• 100-249 – 30
• 1-99 – 24

Who are theses Churches?

Top 25 Churches with the largest % growth between 2013 and 2017

1. Christ’s Community, Denham Springs, Pastor Willis Easley, grew 211%, from 225 to 700 with 348 baptisms.
2. Journey Church, Pineville, Pastor James Greer, grew 136%, from 360 to 489
3. Summerville, Olla, grew by 105% from 20 to 41 with 526 baptisms.
4. Unity, Oak Grove, Pastor J. Kelly Coleman,  grew by 100%, from 90 to 180 with 27 baptisms
5. Heflin, Pastor Ronnie Osborne, grew by 100% from 75 to 150
6. New Hope, Jennings, Pastor Eric B Crochet, grew by 100% from 20 to 40
7. First, Moss Bluff, Pastor Steve Bennett grew by 91% from 643 to 1,229.
8. Memorial, Monroe, Pastor Roger Stoffer, grew by 90% from 30 to 57
9. Open Door Fellowship, Coushatta, Pastor Steven W. McAbee, grew by 87% from 75 to 140
10. Mt Gilead, Vivian, Pastor William H Treadway, grew by 80%  from 50 to 90
11. Calvary, Bayou Chicot, Pastor Wayne Holston, grew by 80% from 50 to 90
12. Main Street, Pineville, Pastor Samuel H West, grew by 78% from 45 to 80
13. Union Hill, Montgomery, Pastor Chuck Lacroix, grew by73% from 52 to 90
14. New Beginnings, Castor, Pastor David H Bolyer, grew by 73% from 55 to 95
15. St James, Madisonville, Pastor George Burris, grew by 67% from 150 to 250
16. The New Beginnings, Walker, Pastor Charles R Smith, grew by 63% from 43 to 70
17. Bethany, Bethany, Pastor Marvin Cooper, grew by 61% from 56 to 90
18. Oak Forest, Leesville, Pastor Joe Call grew by 57% from 54 to 85
19. Antioch, Farmerville, Pastor Rubin Weaver, grew by 52% from 186 to 283
20. First, Robeline, Pastor Brian Ray, grew by 50% from 163 to 245
21. First, Golden Meadow, Pastor Matthew Chouest, grew by 50% from 70 to 105
22. First, Sterlington, Pastor Ben Hackler, grew by 48% from 100 to 148
23. First Mt Nebo, Jena, grew by 47% from 95 to 140
24. Newton, Delhi, Pastor Buddy McGurk, grew by 46% from 65 to 95
25. Bogue Falaya, Folsom grew by 45% from 120 to 174

Churches that Added the Most People between 2013 and 2017:

1. Celebration Church (SBC), Metairie, Dennis Watson. Added 2,073 people
2. First, Moss Bluff, Steve Bennett, Added 586 people.
3. Journey Church, Pineville, James Greer, Added 489
4. Christ’s Community, Denham Springs, Willis Easley. Added 475
5. Cypress, Benton, John Fream. Added 389
6. First, Bossier City, Brad Jurkovich. Added 246
7. His Church, Pineville, Steven Speer. Added 161
8. First, Franklinton, Paul B Watts. Added 138
9. Addis, First Baton Rouge, Tom Shepard. Added 130
10. St James, Madisonville, George Burris. Added 100

Top 10 Baptisms by these churches in 2017:

1. Celebration Church (SBC), Metairie 602
2. First, Bossier City 169
3. Journey Church, Pineville 141
4. First, Moss Bluff 100
5. Cypress, Benton 95
6. Christ’s Community, Denham Springs 74
7. First, Robeline 62
8. Addis, First 57
9. His Church, Pineville 50
10. Newton, Delhi 46

Email me for a copy of the full report – lane.corley@louisianabaptists.org.