New Coke was a colossal failure.
In 1985, after decades as a premier global brand producing the world’s most popular soft drink, the Coca-Cola Company’s leadership misjudged the slight uptick in Pepsi’s popularity, panicked, and spent millions testing, marketing, and releasing “New Coke.” The backlash was immediate and significant. Coca-Cola saw a revenue drop, suggesting a 20% market share loss in some regions.
I didn’t like it. I was one of many who wanted the original Coke back. Coca-Cola built its mission on tradition, nostalgia, and brand loyalty, but by changing the drink’s formula, the company ignored its core identity and alienated its most loyal customers.
The company lost sight of its mission by focusing on market share rather than its core values.
Similarly, churches and denominations can lose sight of their core purpose and prioritize peripheral issues over gospel ministry and serving people. We’ve seen this happen in recent years. The array of issues debated across the convention floor has blurred our missional focus. However, Southern Baptist churches are emerging from this fog, refocusing on what matters most: the Great Commission, fueled by evangelism and discipleship.
LifeWay Research’s recent study, based on the 2024 Annual Church Profile (ACP), reported 250,643 baptisms, a 10% increase over 2023 and the highest since 2017. Additionally, over 4.3 million people worshiped weekly in Southern Baptist congregations, and more than 2.5 million participated in small group Bible studies each week — both figures representing increases of over 5% from 2023.
“Southern Baptists love to focus on evangelism, and these ACP numbers back that up,” said Jeff Iorg, president and CEO of the SBC Executive Committee. “We rejoice that God is using Southern Baptist churches to reach people with the gospel. We celebrate the upward trends in baptisms, unseen in the past 30 years.”
Here in Tennessee, our 18,935 baptisms in 2024 ranked fifth among Baptist state conventions. Tennessee led the nation in baptism ratio per state population. While this number is proportionally larger than other states, it’s not a competition. The goal everywhere is to see as many people come to saving faith as possible.
However, I do believe the statistics reflect Tennessee Baptists’ renewed determination to reach spiritually lost family members, friends, and neighbors with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
For example, 35 inmates were baptized in the Sevier County Jail through the ministry of Connect Church in Sevierville. Grace Baptist Church in Tullahoma has seen 61 baptisms this year, tying its all-time annual record with five months remaining. Soul Quest in Jackson reported 110 baptisms, and Salem Baptist Church in Trenton recorded 19.
A favorite story is Manor Church, a church plant in Galloway near Memphis, which celebrated its first baptism on Easter Sunday. One baptism may seem insignificant, but consider what if you were that one person? Or, what if that one person were your son, daughter, mother, or father? It would matter deeply. Every new believer expressing obedience to Christ in baptism is worthy of celebration.
The Tennessee Baptist Convention’s vision statement, adopted at the 2023 Summit in Chattanooga, concludes with the desire that we stay at it “until every Tennessean hears the gospel.” This is a tall order, considering Tennessee’s 7 million residents, millions of whom are statistically spiritually lost. But we’re off to a strong start in refocusing on the main thing.
Now, we must keep the main thing in focus.
It is a joy to be with you on this journey. B&R