Harris said the level of lostness in the South should not be surprising because of the large influx of immigrants and the new generations being reproduced in the South. “Every new generation and people group has to be evangelized and congregationalized if we are to achieve the Great Commission. The numbers are increasing every year.
“Twenty-five percent of our churches baptized no one last year,” Harris said. “Another 63 percent baptized five or less, and 79 percent baptized 10 or less. That tells me that we have a high number of churches who are not Great Commission-centered churches.”
MISSIONS ENGINE
Despite the need for more—not fewer—church plants across the still unreached South, the South Region remains the financial “engine” driving the SBC, as reflected by Cooperative Program, Annie Armstrong and Lottie Moon offering receipts. According to the 2009 Annual Church Profile, the 13.7 million Baptists in the South Region generate 86 percent of the $406.7 million for CP; 86 percent of gifts to “Annie” ($44 million) and 88 percent of the gifts to Lottie Moon ($101.2 million).
It’s an ironic paradox: the SBC derives most of its membership, money and missions support from Southern Baptists in the South Region. But the other four regions—the Northeast, Midwest, West and Canada—are North America’s most heavily “unreached” areas, where substantially more financial, ministry and “people” resources must be shifted if Baptists are to truly penetrate the overwhelming lostness—three out of four people—in North America. But even as we shift resources to the other regions, the South Region—as the SBC’s home base of support—must be protected, nurtured and not neglected. Or as NAMB president Kevin Ezell recently said, “It’s important for us to re-seed our base.”
South population to sbc congregation ratio
Top 5 Least Churched
1. FLORIDA - 6,217
2. VIRGINIA - 4,191
3. TEXAS - 3,145
4. LOUISIANA - 2,831
5. GEORGIA - 2,653
Top 5 Most Churched
1. MISSISSIPPI - 1,375
2. ALABAMA - 1,420
3. KENTUCKY - 1,732
4. ARKANSAS - 1.915
5. TENNESSEE - 1,998
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, LifeWay Christian Resources (e.g. One SBC church exists for every 6,217 people in Florida)
ON MISSION • Summer 2011 41
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