SBC Baptism Data Shows Adults Now Outnumber Children for First Time in Decades
Adults aged 30 and older now account for 33 percent of Southern Baptist Convention baptisms, the largest share of any age group, according to 2025 Annual Church Profile data analyzed by Lifeway Research. Child baptisms hit their fourth-lowest level on record. Researchers attribute the shift largely to demographic changes in the U.S. population.
Adults aged 30 and older now make up the largest share of baptisms in Southern Baptist Convention churches, according to data from the 2025 Annual Church Profile analyzed by Lifeway Research.
Adults over 30 accounted for 33 percent of the 263,075 total baptisms recorded in 2025, or about 86,448 individuals. Youth aged 12 to 17 came in second at 25 percent, followed by children 11 and younger at 22 percent, and young adults aged 18 to 29 at 20 percent.
The total baptism count of 263,075 was the highest since 2016 and marked the fifth consecutive year of growth. But the demographic breakdown tells a different story about who is entering the church.
Child baptisms reached their fourth-lowest level in the denomination's history. Only the pandemic years of 2020 through 2022 produced lower numbers. The share of child baptisms dropped from 30 percent in 2022 to 22 percent in 2025.
Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research, said the shift reflects demographic changes in the United States rather than a failure of children's ministry. The U.S. population of children under 12 has declined by more than 2 million since 2011, while the adult population over 30 has grown by nearly 30 million in the same period.
The SBC still baptizes a higher proportion of children relative to their share of the population compared to other age groups. But the raw numbers have fallen as fewer children live in communities and attend churches affiliated with the denomination.
The data was published in August 2026 and covers the 2025 church year.
