FIRST-PERSON: The Annual Church Profile - a story of cooperation

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- Numbers are neither the reason the Southern Baptist Convention exists
nor the best thing we do together. However, the Annual Church Profile
(ACP) process exhibits the voluntary cooperation between local churches,
associations, state conventions and the national entities.

Therefore,
the participation rate among churches each year is an indication of our
level of cooperation. Unfortunately, the indicators of cooperation are
not heading in the right direction.

Last year, the ACP
participation rate was the lowest ever recorded, and the national totals
were reported later than ever before because of a delay in reporting.
And the 2011 national statistics, which LifeWay will report in April,
will include fewer common items than any previous year.

These
changes may be an indication that some churches no longer value their
connection to the SBC, but I am guessing it is because many do not see
how important the ACP is.

The most basic product of the ACP is an
annual list of who we are as a group of churches who voluntarily
cooperate with each other. I recall in the aftermath of Hurricane
Katrina, local associations and state conventions, with the support of
national entities, were able to check on every Southern Baptist church
in the affected areas. The value of our cooperation was never more
evident than when we saw independent churches with no one coming to
their aid or even knowing to check on them in those first critical days.

The second primary benefit the ACP provides is statistical
measures and benchmarks. Facts are our friends, and they help us hold
ourselves accountable. Accurate measurement says something about the
church, the association, the state convention, and the SBC as a whole.
Clearly the items reported on the ACP do not measure everything that
matters in a church, but it is hard to argue that the types of
information requested don't matter. In fact, most churches already
compile the requested statistics for their own use.

Every week
SBC churches are counting attendance and offerings. Every month they are
checking their membership totals. And, each year most churches note
their VBS attendance and missions participation.

I am aware some
pastors question why they should share their church's information with
the convention. But, I am also aware that what we measure points to what
we value. If we want SBC churches to grow, want new SBC churches to be
added, want more individuals to be involved in Bible study and missions,
and want churches to cooperate in Great Commission giving, we should be
willing to measure our progress.

For 2011, a list of 14 common
items was requested from every state convention. Common items worded the
same in every state allow these statistics to be combined as national
totals. Some states also ask supplemental questions based on the needs
of their state convention.

Unfortunately, every state did not
ask all of the 14 common items in 2011, so the national totals will
include additional calculations and footnotes where the item cannot be
determined for the entire SBC.

Over the next few weeks many
validation checks will occur on data from each state convention, looking
for items that appear to be a mistake or inconsistent. LifeWay notifies
each state convention of items that need to be checked and even
prioritizes the oddities to ensure those that would most impact national
totals are addressed first. The later the data is received, the less
time is available for validation and follow-up.

In most cases
this checking involves the state convention contacting the local church
or association to make sure information is correct. This is not always
easy, but timely trouble-shooting by the state conventions makes for
more accurate data and allows national totals to be reported on time.
When one group is late the entire process must wait.

When LifeWay
reports the 2011 statistics next month, we will no doubt highlight
which numbers have increased and which have decreased. But don't miss
the other story in these numbers -- the story of cooperation. Each
number is a symbol of our cooperation, each total a sum of our unity.

So,
pastor, please lead your church to report in 2012. State convention
leaders, please lead your convention to report in a timely and common
fashion (for 2011 and 2012) so that we can report these numbers sooner
-- and better -- to more effectively serve us all. And, thanks for the
opportunity to cooperate with you each year in this process.

Original article can be found here, http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?Id=37431.

Ed
Stetzer is vice president of research and ministry development at
LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. LifeWay
Research coordinates the Southern Baptist Convention’s Annual Church
Profile reporting system.