JEFFERSON CITY – This month, each Missouri Baptist church or mission is receiving an important package from the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC), along with a simple request: Please complete the Annual Church Profile (ACP).
What is the ACP? And why is it important?
The ACP is a statistical survey that tracks trends in baptisms, church membership, worship attendance, and other local-church activities. Packets have been mailed to every church or association. Surveys should be completed as soon as possible, and no later than Jan. 31, 2027.
The ACP Survey Packet gathers critical information that helps participating churches in several ways. First, it affirms they are still active MBC churches. Second, it enables them to track their church histories. Third, it gives them an opportunity to update information on their church leaders. Finally, it allows them to review and update other details about their churches such as addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, websites, ethnicities, and languages.
The ACP provides even more benefits, according to MBC Executive Director Wes Fowler: First, ACP gives church leaders insights that help them understand present-day challenges and plan for future opportunities. “Lifeway Christian Resources uses the data from more than 47,000 local churches to explore and explain the many changes taking place in Southern Baptist life,” says Fowler.
Second, ACP data is used to determine how many messengers MBC churches may send to Missouri Baptists’ annual meeting each October. It also helps qualify Missouri Baptists to serve on Southern Baptist Convention committees, commissions, mission boards, and institutions.
Third, ACP helps the MBC track trends in the local church and across our state – from worship attendance to baptisms.
Finally, ACP data enables all Missouri Baptists to speak more accurately about the cooperative work we do together, according to Fowler: “Accurate ACP reporting provides a clearer picture of our current realities and helps us plan for future initiatives.”
The MBC’s 1,723 churches have wonderful stories to tell, says Fowler: “The data collected through ACP is more than just numbers. It represents real people whose lives and communities are transformed through the gospel. This information encourages cooperation among all Missouri Baptists at the associational, state, and national levels of Southern Baptist life.”
Missouri Baptists are leaders among state conventions for submitting ACPs, according to Fowler. Last year, 81 percent of MBC churches turned in their completed surveys. “That’s due in great measure to the support of the MBC’s Pam Jeffries, who heads up the ACP project and reaches out to churches and associations to assist them.”
Nearly every association works with the MBC to distribute and collect ACP data. In addition, the MBC’s Jeffries is available to answer questions about the survey, or to help complete the forms. She may be contacted by phone at 800.736.6227 ext. 337, or via email at pjeffries@mobaptist.org.
