Diversifying America's Church; Baptists Keeps Pace with Texas
The Baptist General Convention of Texas is one of the many historically-white denominations that have successfully diversified their flock in keeping pace with America’s shifting demographic structure.
America’s mainline denominations historically grew in strength and number by reaching and ministering to immigrants of European-descent in the 19th and 20th centuries.
In the new millennium ethnic outreach has taken a new form - meeting the needs of the ever growing non-European and often non-English-speaking population in the community.
The Baptist General Convention of Texas is one of the many historically-Caucasian denominations that have successfully diversified their flock in keeping pace with America’s shifting demographic structure.
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According to statistics released by the convention, the “Anglo congregation” made up 63 percent of its churches in 2004 – down from the 75 percent in 1994. Hispanic congregations meanwhile rose from 14 percent of 10 years ago to 20 percent last year.
Similarly, African American churches have grown from seven percent to 12 percent while “other” ethnic congregations rose from four to five percent.
According to Clay Price, a statistician for the church, the data reflects the general demographic changes that took place in Texas.
Within the last 14 years, the Anglo population dropped from 60 percent to 50 percent of the make-up while Hispanics grew from 26 percent to 35 percent. The African American population dropped from 12 to 11 percent of the population while “other” ethnicities increased from two to four percent.
“We are still a little bit heavy on the Anglo side,” Price said. “We have a bit to go with Hispanics.”
The boost in diversification was mainly a result of two major changes, according to the Convention’s news service.
The first is the ethnic-focused church planting efforts that launched around the state.
Since 2000, the BGCT facilitated 422 Hispanic church starts, 296 new Anglo congregations, 223 African American church starts and 83 new congregations for other ethnicities, statistics show.
Accordingly, new congregations account for 37 percent of BGCT-affiliated Hispanic congregations, 32 percent of African American churches and 30 percent of “other” ethnic churches. In contrast, new congregations make up only eight percent of Anglo congregations, the BGCT news service noted.
The second main reason for the demographic shift is the BGCT’s separation from the larger Southern Baptist Convention 10 years ago.
After the BGCT left, the national Convention established a separate Texas-based counterpart called the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention (SBTC) in 2000.
Many of the churches that were once affiliated with the BGCT opted to join the SBTC, mathematically dropping the Anglo percent in the BGCT and increasing the proportion of minority congregations. Some 800 congregations, most of which belong to Anglo churches, left for the alternative convention, said the BGCT news service.
Lynn Eckeberger, coordinator of the BGCT Church Health and Growth Section, said the challenge for Texas Baptists is to alter the traditional approaches of ministering cross-culturally so that each ethnic group can learn from one another.
Communities are changing demographically, Eckeburger said to BGCT news. Together, Texas Baptists can better serve that fluid environment.
“We have another challenge,” he said. “That is to respond to the remix of the Texas population.”
