Acknowledging the challenges and opportunities from recent research...
Facing Facts
By Eddie Moody
Recent data regarding Free Will Baptists and other denominations has prompted many conversations. However, data that does not lead to action is not useful. This article will report the data and offer ways we can use that data to help our denomination be more effective.
Where did the data originate? Most of this data is found in the Cooperative Election Study (CES), which began in 2006. The CES is used to survey over 50,000 Americans every two years. Study participants identified themselves from a dropdown menu of religious denominations and traditions. You can access the data set on the Harvard University website. Until statistician Ryan Burge began examining this data for information regarding religious groups, it was primarily used by political scientists to study elections. [1]
The second set of data is from the United States Religion Census, which dates to 1906. The NAFWB provides the Religion Census with data every ten years. [2] The data set provided is derived from yearly reports that churches, associations, and states submit to the NAFWB. The Religion Census analyzes the data in conjunction with the United States Census.
What does the data indicate? The data provides important information about the educational, family structure, and financial condition of Free Will Baptists as well as information on the location of NAFWB churches. Much of the data was reported recently by Ryan Burge in his article “The Socioeconomic Status of American Religion Traditions” where he examined the top 20 denominations in America. [3]
Figure 1
Education
Of the 20 largest Protestant denominations, CES results indicate that people who identified themselves as part of a Free Will Baptist congregation reflect the lowest number of congregants with a college degree (Figure 1, above). Burge also compared the increase in the college-educated population from the 2008-2010 administration to the 2022-2023 administration of the CES (Figure 2, below).
Figure 2
Results indicated that Free Will Baptists who earned college degrees only grew by 3%. By comparison, during the same period, overall college degree recipients in America grew by 9%. The findings are consistent with data the NAFWB collects about enrollment in our colleges (Figure 3, below).
Figure 3
In 2024, only 761 students enrolled at our three colleges. In 2022, Free Will Baptist churches reported a membership of 101,353. Free Will Baptists are likely undercounted since seven states or districts reported no members. The low attendance at Free Will Baptist colleges is likely related to a low overall college attendance by Free Will Baptists.
Why might the educational level be so low? One hypothesis could be tied to the locations of most Free Will Baptist churches. Data from the Religion Census indicates that many NAFWB churches are located in rural communities (Figure 4, below).
Figure 4
Twenty-eight percent of NAFWB churches are located where only 5% of the U.S. population resides. Put another way, the map (Figure 5, below) from the Religion Census depicts the U.S. counties where NAFWB congregants are a large percentage of the population.
Figure 5
Compare the map in Figure 5 with the map (Figure 6, below) depicting the counties where the largest percentage of the U.S. population has earned a college degree. [4] Free Will Baptists might have a lower percentage of college-educated congregants because they reside in communities with a lower percentage of residents who have earned college degrees.
Figure 6
What are the implications? A strong correlation can be drawn between educational attainment and income earned. [5] That appears to be the case with Free Will Baptists. When comparing Free Will Baptists to other religious traditions in America, Free Will Baptists have the lowest average household income based on CES data (Figure 7, below). The correlation between education and income can be found in the scatterplot graphed by Ryan Burge (Figure 8, below).
Figure 7
Figure 8
These results indicate Free Will Baptists have a greater number of challenges than other groups. Ryan Burge put it this way: “Southern Baptists have statistically the same income as the average American, but the same can’t be said for Free Will Baptists. They are clearly the most economically disadvantaged.”
This has implications for giving. In 2023, $17,372,228 was given to national ministries. Although that was an increase of nearly a million dollars from 2022, 76% of all giving was to missions. By comparison, a single anonymous donor gave $15 million in one day to Cedarville University. The gift was part of a larger campaign of $175 million. Free Will Baptists have greater economic challenges than other religious bodies.
Many will argue with these CES findings. I think discussing them too much is akin to “observing the wind.” Even if someone disagrees with the findings, hopefully we can agree on some actions needed to have a healthier denomination. Compare this to an annual physical where a doctor warns the patient he has some health issues and needs to exercise more and lose weight. Perhaps the patient disagrees with the assessment. Regardless, if he exercises a bit more and engages in a healthier diet, he will have a better outcome. Rather than arguing about the assessment, let us agree on some action steps and reap the benefits.
Toward the Future
Free Will Baptists are also among the youngest [denominations]. This obviously has a tremendous impact on whether a congregation fills up its nursery every Sunday during worship.— Ryan Burge
Although Free Will Baptists may be economically disadvantaged, CES data indicates we are the third youngest denomination in America. More than one measure points to this finding, but the best indicator is the percentage of parents or guardians with a child under age 18 (Figure 9, below). Many Free Will Baptists lack resources, but the number of young people provides great opportunities for the future that other denominations do not have. We can turn the education and economic trends around for the next generation.
Figure 9
How? “A bishop then must be...apt to teach” (1 Timothy 3:2).
Encourage presbytery boards to assess whether candidates can teach. Our congregations need good teaching. To achieve this, we must assess whether pastoral candidates meet the qualifications of “apt to teach.”
We encourage presbytery board members and others to take pastoral candidates under their wings and read and discuss books together. The D6 reading list for pastoral candidates is a good place to start. This process is good for candidates as well as presbytery board members who are also likely to become familiar with many of these resources.
Encourage ministry candidates to attend our colleges. Too often, we lose pastoral candidates to other movements. Perhaps there have been cases where a pastoral candidate encounters challenging teaching for the first time in a Calvinistic college. This could lead one to assume Calvinism has more substance than Arminianism. For this reason, we encourage ministry candidates to attend our colleges, especially until they are fully grounded in doctrine. When students do not attend our colleges, we encourage pastors to walk alongside the candidates and increase their mentoring efforts during this critical period.
Make continuing education the expectation. In professional fields, continuing education is required so professionals stay fresh and never stop learning. Continuing education takes place at conferences and webinars, and by reading books followed by tests. For us, this can take place via attendance at the National Convention seminars, D6 Conferences, FORUM and Forlines Lectures at Welch College, Leadership Conference, boot camps, the Theological Symposium, and associational meetings, as well as through podcasts and webinars. Active learners are attracted to other active learners, so it is critical to be lifelong learners, both for us personally and for our congregants.
Encourage the pursuit of higher learning and training opportunities. Many question the value of college these days. However, for our students (many from economically disadvantaged backgrounds), college and other training opportunities are critical for social mobility.
Consider the most recent U.S. News and World Report’s Best Colleges report. Welch College was ranked first in social mobility for “Best Regional Colleges-South.” The social mobility measure is based on the percentage of students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds who go on to graduate. [6] This is an example of how Welch College changes the life trajectory of economically disadvantaged students. Additionally, Welch ranked fifth lowest among private colleges in student debt after graduation. This is an important point when encouraging our students to attend our colleges.
When our students attend other Christian colleges or secular colleges, we encourage pastors, parents, and mentors to help them find a Free Will Baptist church near their school while also regularly checking in with them regarding progress. In economically disadvantaged communities, if these students return, there will be additional opportunities to lead and influence the community.
Encourage churches to use D6 Curriculum. Good curriculum is critical to learning. Every teacher is prone to drift into favorite topics when teaching. One way to counter that trend is to teach using curriculum. Curriculum requires a teacher to learn and teach both familiar and unfamiliar topics, and often teachers are challenged to use new techniques, providing an opportunity to acquire new skills.
Curriculum is also good for students. Students know what is coming, and they can be prepared and continue study throughout the week (a requirement in other educational settings). D6 curriculum follows this format, providing unified lessons across age levels and promoting further study outside the church setting. Incidentally, students who study D6 Curriculum will be better prepared for college-level learning, and college-educated students will likely be attracted to D6 Curriculum.
Encourage everyone to participate in learning opportunities. A learning laity is a better equipped laity. Encourage laypeople to attend the National Convention (which offered more than 90 seminars last year), the Leadership Conference, and associational meetings, taking advantage of every learning opportunity. Also, consider regional Bible institutes, a class from one of our colleges, or a NAM Boot Camp on the Road.
In my experience with boot camps, our laity are like sponges soaking up knowledge. Additionally, if you know someone interested in earning an online Church Answers Certificate (e.g., worship, women’s ministry), have them email questions@nafwb.org for the Free Will Baptist discount.
Encourage churches without pastors to be actively learning. Learning should not stop when a church is without a pastor. Encourage churches to utilize online resources for The Shepherding Initiative. Video-based messages, Bible studies, and coaching are available to keep learning active when a church is without a pastor.
Teach financial literacy. Many communities where our churches are located lack financial literacy. Consider including a session on finances in premarital counseling and use a marriage mentor who will work with couples in the areas of debt, retirement, saving, and budgeting. Congregants do not have to be employed in the ministry to utilize Richland Ave Financial resources, so we encourage you to point them toward their podcasts and other materials.
Implement the resources Free Will Baptist Foundation offers for estate planning. Consider teaching Art Rainer’s Eight Money Milestones or Dave Ramsey’s The Total Money Makeover to help those in your congregation and community be good stewards of their resources.
Consider hiring a staff member from Church Answers to coach your church in the areas of stewardship and financial counseling for those struggling. If we help our people increase their financial stability, this will not only benefit them personally but will also increase the financial viability of our churches and lead to more resources for Kingdom work.
Lastly, look into the MINCE activities we have promoted to help your church develop a firm financial foundation.
Yes, Free Will Baptists have many challenges, but our future is bright if we continue to methodically obey the Lord and teach our people so more people will see the light of the gospel.
In an era where many denominations are known for their controversies and in-fighting, here is a story of a denomination that quietly and methodically demonstrates obedience to the gospel in a positive light for the world to see.— Thom Rainer, describing the National Association of Free Will Baptists
About the Writer: Eddie Moody is the executive director of the
National Association of Free Will Baptists. For additional resources,
visit www.nafwb.org.
