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Closing the BACKDOOR By: Dr. James Slack

Closing the BACKDOOR By: Dr. James Slack. GLOBAL RESEARCH DEPARTMENT Dr. Jim Slack: Evangelism & Church Growth Section International Mission Board (SBC) 15 January 2000. How many newly baptized believers are lost ‘out the backdoor’?.

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Closing the BACKDOOR By: Dr. James Slack

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  1. Closing the BACKDOOR By: Dr. James Slack GLOBAL RESEARCH DEPARTMENT Dr. Jim Slack: Evangelism & Church Growth Section International Mission Board (SBC) 15 January 2000

  2. How many newly baptized believers are lost ‘out the backdoor’?

  3. How many members are lost to inactivity, other religious groups, or simply having gone back to their old lifestyles?

  4. It takes intricate on-site studies to provide exact backdoor data, but there is a procedure which will give an accurate indication if a severe backdoor problem exists.

  5. If, through these techniques, a severe backdoor problem is exposed, then the more in-depth surveys and analysis should occur.

  6. What is the Backdoor? Technically, the backdoor is a loss of church members, for whatever reasons, from a local church’s baptized membership...

  7. ...However, in this age of Something New Under the Sun, The Last Frontier, New Paradigms, To The Edge, and Strategic Directions, we might adapt this definition to changing times!

  8. In 1988 our overseas Baptist partner’s 38 year backdoor was about 19%. The backdoor percentage for the past five years among our partners was 66.4%. The SBC backdoor was about 75% for the same period. FACT:

  9. The difference between the two is alarming! Obviously backdoor losses are getting worse!

  10. A 66.4% backdoor means that over the last five to six years IMB partners lost close to six people out of every ten who were baptized!

  11. From 1995 - 1999, a total of 1,591,359 individuals were baptized, but church membership during that same period grew by only 1,056,673 individuals! FACT:

  12. That means that at least 543,686 baptized individuals have, for whatever reasons ‘slipped out the backdoor’!

  13. Most on-site studies reveal the actual backdoor to be slightly less than the more generally computed figure, so the 66.4% is hopefully the ‘worse case’ scenario...

  14. Even so, a 64% backdoor is far higher than it should be. Churches can not long survive on this size of a backdoor.

  15. Regions and teams should continually monitor their backdoor losses and develop discipleship strategies to reduce the losses.

  16. A 40% or higher loss of baptized individuals does not allow for a viable and sustainable church planting movement.

  17. Backdoor losses above 15% should be a concern to all regions and teams. More than a 25% backdoor is serious!

  18. Calculating the BACKDOOR

  19. Calculating the Backdoor: Baptisms Membership Increase Difference Between the Two Losses w/o Variables (%)

  20. Calculating the Backdoor: Baptisms minus Increase in Membership divided by Baptisms equals Backdoor Percentage

  21. Calculating the Backdoor: Or 1 minus (Increase in Membership divided by Baptisms) equals Backdoor

  22. B - ^M ______ =Backdoor B or 1 - (^M / B) = Backdoor

  23. Calculating the Backdoor Country AOver 20 Years: Baptisms Membership Increase Difference Between the Two Losses w/o Variables 16,044 9,133 - 6,911 43.07%

  24. Calculating the Backdoor Country A Over 5 Years: Baptisms Membership Increase Difference Between the Two Losses w/o Variables 5,186 2,629 - 2,557 49.3%

  25. Calculating the Backdoor Country B Over 20 Years: Baptisms Membership Increase Difference Between the Two Losses w/o Variables 9,780 6,653 - 3,127 31.97%

  26. Calculating the Backdoor Country B Over 5 Years: Baptisms Membership Increase Difference Between the Two Losses w/o Variables 4,447 3,816 - 631 14.2%

  27. Calculating the Backdoor Country C Over 20 Years: Baptisms Membership Increase Difference Between the Two Losses w/o Variables 85,032 47,095 - 37,937 44.6%

  28. Calculating the Backdoor Country C Over 5 Years: Baptisms Membership Increase Difference Between the Two Losses w/o Variables 37,660 11,022 - 26,638 70.7%

  29. Other Variables...

  30. As we look to closing the backdoor, we can see that the issue is clearly a qualitative as well as quantitative one...

  31. Other variables to consider would include how many members, new members, or baptized believers are involved in discipleship training and Bible teaching ministries.

  32. The more involved in these ministries, the smaller the backdoor percentage should be.

  33. If 70% or more of t those in a Christian community are not involved in discipleship training or Bible teaching ministries...

  34. …it will be difficult to have a viable, sustainable, and reproducing church!

  35. Discipleship totals in 1997 were astounding, climbing to 659,072, which was equal to 213.7% of total baptisms that year.

  36. It was was surprising and unexpected when 1998 reported that discipleship totals dropped from 659,070 to 345,971.

  37. This drop was compounded by an additional drop to 284,038 in 1999. Moreover, during each of these three years baptisms were setting all-time records.

  38. This drop was compounded by an additional drop to 284,038 in 1999. Moreover, during each of these three years baptisms were setting all-time records.

  39. In 1998, there were 348,635 baptisms and 345,971 enrolled in discipleship activities, which was equal to 99.34% of the total baptisms.

  40. But in 1999 there were 378,703 baptisms and 284,038 enrolled in discipleship activities, totaling only 75% of new believers involved in discipleship training.

  41. This, however is a ‘best case’ scenario, since we know that many enrolled in discipleship activities were long-time members of churches.

  42. In 1961, the percentage relationship between Bible Teaching Ministries and total membership was 110.84%.

  43. In 1969, eight years later, the percentage dropped to 84.1%. By 1979 it was 74.1%, which should have sounded some alarms!

  44. In 1969, eight years later, the percentage dropped to 84.1%. By 1979 it was 74.1%, which should have sounded some alarms!

  45. Multiple studies since the 1940’s show that once this percentage drops below 75%, positive growth seldom occurs. By 1989, the percentage had dropped to 69.8%

  46. Multiple studies since the 1940’s show that once this percentage drops below 75%, positive growth seldom occurs. By 1989, the percentage had dropped to 69.8%

  47. By 1999 the percentage relationship between Bible Teaching Ministries and total membership had dropped to 55.7%. 55.7%

  48. The Discipleship Inventory

  49. A major tool in helping analyze and adjust troubling backdoor situations is TheDiscipleship Inventory. It is designed to measure the functional discipleship level of individuals, groups, and churches.

  50. Through the use of the Inventory, an assessment of believers and churches is possible concerning the development of each of the thirty characteristics of a New Testament believer.

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