Wide-ranging survey gives detailed look at state of worship in Southern Baptist churches

Editor’s note: This is part 1 in a three-part series based on results from the SBC Worship: Congregations and Leadership Study. 

NASHVILLE (BP) — It’s been almost 90 years since Southern Baptists participated in a comprehensive survey on music and worship in the church. A wide-ranging survey completed this summer provides a glimpse of the current state of worship and indicators for what could be in store in the next few years.

A summary in the 1939 SBC Annual called on Southern Baptists to “realize that there must be more of a vertical note in church music, and less of a horizontal tendency; that the music which aids worship is that which finds the heart and not the feet.”

The 1938 survey asked about each church’s financial commitment to music ministry, the top 10 hymns sung by the church, and for each church to submit an example of its order of service.

“That survey led to the formation of the music department at the Baptist Sunday School Board,” SBC Worship’s Andrew McKinney told Baptist Press.

Legendary hymnwriter B.B. McKinney (no relation to Andrew) was hired to oversee the new department. The results of that survey also led Baptist state conventions to hire music consultants.

Andrew McKinney, along with the other members of the 2026 survey team, hopes results from the new study — called SBC Worship: Congregations and Leadership Study — will bring conversations that shape future directions.

The survey team includes:

  • Jonathan S. Welch, chair – Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
  • Will Bishop – William Carey University
  • Andrew Lucius – Charleston Southern University
  • Andrew McKinney – SBC Worship
  • Jonathan Rodgers – Samford University
  • Chessa Williams –California Baptist University

“I think having a broader awareness of what worship is like for Baptists, plural, is really important as we think about the future of our denomination,” Welch told Baptist Press.

The survey was completed by 4,530 churches. Among those responding, 22 percent said they were in a church with an average weekly worship service attendance of 0-49, 25 percent were in a church of 50-99 people, 42 percent were in churches with 100-499, and 11 percent were in a church with 500 or more people.

It was emailed to more than 30,000 SBC churches and 1,200 leaders representing state conventions, associations and “other networks within the SBC,” the survey’s executive summary says.

Lucius said the time was right for a new survey as much has changed in Baptist Worship since the 1930s.

Modern churches’ expectations of a worship leader vary greatly, and even how worship leaders are trained has changed.

Another difference over previous decades is the steady flow of resources. Welch said that while this may be a blessing, it can also present a challenge if the resources don’t fit the church’s context and needs.

“I think a study like this allows us to better know where our churches are so that we can more accurately resource them,” Welch said.

Survey questions covered topics like:

  • How many services a church has on a Sunday morning
  • If a church livestreams its services
  • How many minutes of a worship service are dedicated to music
  • Who usually leads singing during the church’s services
  • Worship leader titles and training
  • The age of the worship leader
  • Use of technology in the worship service

Two specific findings seem to rise to the top.

First, if the projection here is correct, thousands of churches are going to be looking for help. Some very soon.

More than 65 percent of churches reported their worship leader was 40 years old or older. Thirty-three (33) percent said their worship leader was 60 years old or older.

“By the year 2040, approximately 20,000 of the worship leaders who currently serve SBC churches will be retired or at retirement age (65),” the survey’s Executive Summary said.

While this challenge is significant, Lucius and Welch believe it is more widespread than just in music ministry.

“I would start by saying that the musical leader of the church and the absence of those people right now for the needs of the church is not exclusively unique to that one position,” Lucius said.

Both said they believe churches are in dire need of raising up leaders from within.

Welch says the survey results have caused him to think about his own ministry at The Summit Church in Raleigh, N.C., and the impact he can have on students at Southeastern Seminary.

“Are we identifying those gifts and actually giving them opportunities to serve in those meaningful ways in the church?” he asked.

A second area of struggle is also related to volunteer service and leadership.

Forty-eight (48) percent of churches said they need more people to serve in their music ministry, and 42 percent indicated they need more volunteers in the areas of tech and production.

“Overall, 51 percent of SBC churches report no identified development plan for training current and future worship leaders,” Welch said.

He acknowledged that it is no easy task to hone the abilities to lead, play an instrument, sing or serve on a tech team.

“We have to create those opportunities for people to grow into these roles,” he said.

The survey results are available at sbcworship.com/study-2026.

Committee members said they hope the data will stir up worship-related dialogue among Southern Baptist churches and leaders.

“I think this study is the beginning of creating a culture where we can have conversations,” Lucius said.