This week, a few bits of research on churches by size among Southern Baptists in Louisiana.

Churches by size:

• In 1999, there were 17 churches over 1,000 in attendance among Louisiana Baptist churches. In 2024, that number is still 17.
• In 1999, there were 31 churches between 500 and 999. Today there are only 15.
• In 1999, there were 94 churches between 250 and 499. Today, there are 56.
• In 1999, there were 305 churches between 100 and 349. Toda,y there are 200.
• In 1999, there were 785 churches under 100. Today, there are 884.

Louisiana Baptist Church attendance has declined by 20% over the last 25 years.

Among different size churches:

• Attendance in churches over 1,000 has grown by 8%. +2,344 worshippers. 24% of Louisiana Baptist worshippers attend a church over 1,000, up from 18% in 1999.
• Attendance in churches from 500-999 declined by 48%. -9,746 worshippers.
• Attendance in churches from 250-499 declined by 39%. -12,350 worshippers.
• Attendance in churches from 100-249 declined by 35%. – 16,540 worshippers.
• Attendance in churches under 100 in attendance increased by 12%. +3,912 worshippers.
• 53% of worshippers in 2024 attended a church under 250.

Of course, what’s happening is churches that were once 500-999 are now 250-499. Churches, once 250-499, are now 100 to 249.

Over the 25-year period, baptisms increased by 20% in churches over 1,000 but shrank drastically in every other church size.

• -54% in churches 500-999
• -48% in churches 250-499
• -52% in churches 100-249
• -38% in churches under 100
• -37% among all Louisiana Baptist churches 1999-2024.

Takeaways: (I’d love to hear yours)

1. Large churches are effective but not easily reproduced.
2. Mid-size churches have faced some of the biggest challenges to sustainability over the last 25 years.
3. With the loss of the mid-size church is the loss of significant evangelistic impact.
4. Developing tools to help small and mid-size churches is a must.
5. Large churches are effective, but not as effective as they seem in the grand scheme. Only 2,344 worshippers were added over 25 years, and only 24% of worshippers are in them. We need healthy churches of every size to adequately reach our population.

As one of our Associational Missions Strategists says when I ask him how things are going – “Well, the big churches are getting bigger, and the small churches are getting smaller.” And this bit of research bears that out. But at what cost to the kingdom?

What are your takeaways? Questions? Concerns?

See some tables with this data HERE.