Blog Archives
Report: Baptisms Rebound in Louisiana
Last week Lifeway Research released a report on Baptisms and other stats across the Southern Baptist Convention. Find it HERE. How does Louisiana’s data fit into that picture?
Louisiana Baptist churches reported 8,120 baptisms in 2022. That’s a 21% increase from 2021 to 2022. And a 44% increase from 2020 to 2022. Up from 5,637. Still a long way from a high of 16,187 in 1994. A steep drop started in 2016, the last year above 10,000 baptisms in our reported history.
38% of Louisiana Baptist churches that reported in 2022 had zero baptisms. 35% baptized 1-5 people, while 10% saw six to nine baptisms. 16% reported at least 10 baptisms.
Newer churches are not as evangelistic as they once were. This is something I’ve written about before HERE. Church’s founded before 2000, averaged 7.5 baptisms per church. Those founded between 1950 and 1999, baptized 8.3 per church. Those founded from 1900 to 1949 baptized 9.2 per church. And those founded pre-1900 averaged 5.3 baptisms per church.
If you’re concerned, you can do something about low baptism numbers today! SHARE THE GOSPEL. Here is three questions and a to do list for increasing baptisms in short order:
Question: Do we have a list of potential candidates?
1. Look over our church directory and circle the names of people that I know have not been baptized or that I’m not sure have been baptized.
2. Make appointments with at least one of these each day, until everyone circled has been challenged to consider where they are in their journey toward Christ.
3. Plan a sermon on Baptism where everyone will be challenged to follow and obey Christ with the opportunity to respond.
Question: Are we making Evangelistic Contacts?
4. Pray for open doors to share the gospel.
5. Plan a time today and at least three times each week, to intentionally interact with people that are far from God.
6. Put at least three outreach events on the calendar between now and the end of the year that are sure to engage people who are far from God. Get names, pray, follow up.
Question: Are we developing an Evangelistic Culture in our Church?
7. Plan at least one evangelism training for the entire church between now and the end of the year.
8. Put on the calendar at least one monthly special prayer time for lost and unchurched people in our community.
9. Challenge our church leaders by email and in person to right down the names of five people that they know who need Christ. If they don’t know five people, challenge them to get to know five people who need Christ.
How to Baptize More People in Your Church #churchplanting
People in the water being baptized serves as a highlight & significant spiritual marker in the life of an individual & a church. Recently, I polled a few of our highest baptizing church plants in Louisiana & found that they have 5 intentional practices that every church can do to increase baptisms:
-
Pray & Share the Gospel.
If you don’t have anybody to baptize, you need to ask the question, “Are we communicating the gospel clearly to our community?” It may be that you are in a hard soil area & cultivation will take time. That’s fine. But the promise of the word of God is to produce results (Isaiah 55:11). God’s working in all our communities to bring people to himself (1 Corinthians 5:19-21). As we pray & share, planting seeds in our communities, eventually we can expect a harvest (Psalm 126:6). If you need some ideas, see my post Proven Ways to Cultivate Relationships & Plant Seeds in Your Community.
-
Keep a current list of potential candidates.
Write down the names of people in your fellowship that you’re not sure of their relation to Christ &/or if they’ve followed the Lord through believer’s baptism. Share it with core leaders & ask them to pray. Plan on systematically talking with them about making this important step in their faith journey. Also, teach parents how to look for signs of God’s work in the lives of their children & when they begin to respond, put them on the list & begin to pray for them. (Check out this helpful article on How to Tell If Your Child is Ready for Baptism).
-
Put it on the church calendar.
As you do calendar planning, go ahead & put at least two dates for baptisms on the calendar. Announce these regularly. Expect to have candidates. Pray & share the Gospel. Work the list.
-
Get info out about Believer’s Baptism.
Teach on it regularly. Produce a brochure & keep it in a well trafficked area in your building & on your website. I’ve also heard of churches doing brief Informational meetings about baptism before & after church. Don’t assume people realize the importance & Biblical reasons for baptism. Here’s the brochure our church utilizes.
-
Make it a celebration.
Baptism is an opportunity to celebrate God’s work in the heart of human being. Jesus died so that work could be done! A person has left the kingdom of darkness & entered the kingdom of light (Colossians 1:13)! Even the angels in heaven throw a party when this happens (Luke 15:10)!. Let’s celebrate! Make it a big deal. Send out invitations, post pics, share videos! We throw parties for much less, so a thing that makes heaven party & busts people out of the kingdom of darkness should instigate a celebration!
An evangelistic culture must be cultivated & maintained with intentionality. We have a command from Jesus to go & baptize (Matthew 28:18-20). We have so many people without a relationship with Christ. Get intentional about moving people to understand & respond to the Gospel & celebrate it through baptism.
Lane Corley 