INDIANAPOLIS (BP)–A new emphasis must be placed on baptisms and new Bible study classes if Southern Baptist churches want to reach people for Christ. This was the focus of LifeWay Christian Resources’ annual LeaderLife pastor’s luncheon June 15 on the first day of the two-day Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Indianapolis.
“Baptismal waters have flown through biblical times, but what has happened to the flow today?” asked Michael Lewis, pastor of Great Hills Baptist Church in Austin, Texas, citing the plateau churches are seeing in the number of baptisms compared with the growth of Southern Baptist membership and the overall U.S. population.
Lewis pointed to several facts that indicate the disturbing trend:
— In 1900, it took 21 church members to lead one person to Christ, compared to the 43 church members it takes today.
— While the overall Southern Baptist membership increased by 16.1 percent, the U.S. population grew by 24.5 percent.
— In 1971, 30 million people did not attend church. Today, that number is 79 million.
The decline of baptisms could indicate a lack of urgency on the part of churches in their attempts to reach people for Christ, said James T. Draper Jr., president of LifeWay.
“I’ve heard from a number of people across our denomination that professions of faith are good enough,” said Draper. “They aren’t teaching the importance of publicly identifying with Jesus through baptism — and they’re ignoring His command to baptize His followers. Baptisms reflect that people have seriously made a commitment to follow Christ.”
Lewis said his church has grown rapidly since using FAITH as a witnessing tool. Hoping initially for 100 to go through the training, he said he has been gratified to see more than 400 of his church members participate each week. As a result, his church is baptizing record numbers of new Christians and launching new Sunday School classes.
“God has ignited our hearts to win our wicked, liberal city for Christ,” said Lewis, adding that leaders must properly understand the production as well as the places and the picture of baptism.
“A lot of people have been baptized on the wrong side of the cross — they must believe first and then be baptized,” he concluded.
LifeWay supports the Southern Baptist Convention’s goal for one million baptisms by 2005. They’re also encouraging churches to begin new Bible study classes. Each pastor was asked to commit to doubling the number of baptisms within his church in the next year, starting new Bible study groups to reach more people and assisting other pastors in their outreach efforts.
An evangelism rally sponsored by LifeWay at the 2005 SBC annual meeting in Nashville, Tenn., is scheduled for June 18.
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