Adults Make Up Majority of Southern Baptist Baptisms in 2025

In 2025, more than half of the baptisms recorded in Southern Baptist Convention churches were of adults, according to a Lifeway Research analysis. The study found that 33% of those baptized were adults aged 30 and older, while another 20% were young adults. Youth accounted for 25% and children 22% of the total.

This marks a shift from earlier decades when children made up a larger share of baptisms; in 1971 they represented 37% and in 2022 the figure was 30%. Lifeway Research executive director Scott McConnell noted that the decline in child and youth baptisms parallels broader demographic trends, with fewer children present in churches and their communities.

The Southern Baptist Convention’s Annual Church Profile also reported a membership drop of about 3% from 12.72 million in 2024 to 12.33 million in 2025, while worship attendance rose from 4.3 million to 4.5 million. Baptisms increased nearly 5% to 263,075, continuing a five‑year growth streak that exceeds pre‑COVID‑19 levels.