From LCMS News

Although membership declined by more than 25,000 people from 2003 to 2004, total contributions rose by $51 million among the 6,151 congregations in The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod.

According to congregational reports of statistics for 2004, LCMS members contributed a record $1,307,764,010 to their congregations during 2004. Giving also increased by $53 million during 2003, following declines of $13.8 million in 2002 and $12.1 million in 2001.

Membership continues to decline. During 2004, congregations reported 2,463,747 baptized members or 25,189 fewer than 2003. Confirmed membership was 1,880,213, a decrease of 14,609.

"Since 1972, our peak membership year, the Synod has lost some 317,000 baptized members," said Dr. John O'Hara, LCMS research analyst. "We have reported sporadic increases in baptized or confirmed members over the past 30 years, most recently in 1997 -- a gain of some 1,900 -- but they have been overwhelmed by the intervening declines." (Approximately 124,000 of the member loss is attributable to the schism of the 1970s.)

"Our recent history of membership losses should lend some urgency to such efforts as the Ablaze! initiative and 'Igniting Congregations,'" O'Hara added.

Has it occurred to the folks at the Purple Palace, I wonder, that Baptistic phenomena like "the Ablaze! initiative and 'Igniting Congregations'" may in fact be contributing to the defection of theologically Lutheran members from Missouri Synod congregations?