“Ok, I understand if you can’t dictate to them, but that doesn’t mean you can’t “strenuously encourage” them to submit the information.”
To put this in perspective:
“Also in his address to messengers, Page noted that recent data from the convention’s Annual Church Profile survey showed continued declines in nearly every category, including baptisms, average attendance and total giving.
“We desperately need the hand of God,” Page said. “One of our big challenges in these days is that one out of every five Southern Baptist churches will not send in an ACP. We can only tell what we know. Our baptism numbers are down. Or are they? We don’t know because you won’t tell us. Please participate.”
http://www.sbcannualmeeting.net/sbc13/newsroom/newspage.asp?ID=28
The SBC does not and cannot require member churches even submit a yearly summary of baptisms and attendance!
Well, I’m sure there is something they could use for leverage, if they put their minds to it. If they have something the locals churches want, they can withhold it unless the local churches comply. Or not, maybe they don’t care.