April 22, 2003
Jefferson City – (MBC) has topped the 2000 plateau in total number of churches across the state. And that the number is growing!
A "praise report" prepared by the MBC Church planting office revealed that there are now 2,006 Southern Baptist churches in Missouri, up from the 1,957 churches reported in 2001. The report shows that there were 39 new congregations started in 2002 and ten newly affiliated congregations.
The MBC goal is to start 60 new churches during 2003, according to David Clippard, NBC executive director. Clippard said fifteen churches have been started during the first quarter.
"We want to start 100 new churches next year," Clippard said. "If we can continue this pace through the year 2013, we will have over 3000 Southern Baptist churches in Missouri.
"All churches ought to grow," he added. "But when might as well face it, the character is set for some churches. That’s why I have such a hope for new churches."
An ethnic breakdown of Missouri Baptist congregations shows that there are 1,889 Anglo churches, 61 African-American churches, two deaf and churches, one French-speaking, one Haitian, 33 Hispanic congregations, one Middle Eastern, two mulitcultural, one Native American, one Cambodian, one Chinese, one Filipino, seven Korean, two Vietnamese, one other Asian church, and two Russian.