....statistics from the nation's largest Protestant body paint a picture of evangelism in decline. Baptisms in 2006 dropped 1.89 percent, to 364,826, from 2005, according to a church study. Those figures contrast sharply with the goal of 1 million baptisms that was set by the denomination's immediate past president, Bobby Welch. ........"I was surprised that we still fell 7,000 or more short," he said. "Once this thing gets into a nosedive, it's hard to pull it up. That's what we're fighting right now."
I wonder if Rick's ideas are related to this?
I suspect the Saddleback's Southron Baptist label is nominal.
What I don’t understand is why they count anything? Remember how displeased God was when David wanted to count the people of Israel. Just focus on the right teaching of the Word and leave the numbers up to God.