I have received a credible report that the Church appeared to baptize 380,000-390,000 convert baptisms in 2025. If accurate, this would surpass the previous all-time high of 330,877 converts baptized in 1990 by approximately 50,000-60,000 people. Additionally, the combined total of convert baptisms and children of record added to Church membership appears to have reached around half a million in 2025, which would represent another all-time high. With approximately 90,000-140,000 records removed annually, the net increase in membership is likely closer to 400,000 given these unofficial reports.
Official statistics will be released in General Conference next month.
12 comments:
I always thought it would be awesome to hit 20 million members at the 200th anniversary of the church in April of 2030. At 17.5 million at the end of 2024 and only increasing 250k a year it seemed that it would be out of reach and take until 2035 to hit it.
If we were to get 400k for 2025 and it is any sort of exponential, we could absolutely push to getting 20 million by April of 2030. Will still be a stretch, but much more doable. Would need to average 488k a year for the following 4 years and 3 months to hit it.
How much is that as a per capita of the world population?
Then this would put total membership over 18 million by now.
Nampula Mozambique Mutauanha Stake (2324997)
Organized on 15 March 2026
- Luaha Branch
- Muatala Ward
- Murrapaniua Ward
- Mutauanha Ward
- Namaita Ward
- Substação Ward
Mission: Mozambique Beira Mission
Temple: Harare Zimbabwe Temple
Beira Mozambique Chamba Stake (2306085)
Organized on 15 March 2026
- Campo do Povo Ward
- Chamba Ward
- Chingussura Ward
- Zona Verde Ward
Mission: Mozambique Beira Mission
Temple: Harare Zimbabwe Temple
Bauru Brazil Jardim Santana Stake (616532)
Reorganized from the Botucatu Brazil District on 8 March 2026
- Bela Vista Ward
- Jardim Santana Ward
- Jaú Branch
- Marechal Rondon Ward
- Pederneiras Branch
- São Manuel Branch
Mission: Brazil Piracicaba Mission
Temple: Campinas Brazil Temple
Cotonou Benin Akpakpa Stake (2320924)
Organized on 8 March 2026
- Akpakpa Ward
- Avotrou Ward
- Dowa Branch
- Finagnon Ward
- Gbegame Branch
- Jericho 1st Ward
- Jericho 2nd Ward
- Porto Novo Ward
Mission: Benin Cotonou Mission
Temple: Accra Ghana Temple
León México Aeropuerto Stake (421391)
Reorganized from the Guanajuato Mexico District on 8 March 2026
- Arbide Ward
- Azteca Ward
- Campestre Ward
- Echeveste Ward
- Lagos de Moreno Branch
- Las Torres Ward
- Olímpica Ward
- Parque del Sur Ward
- San Francisco del Rincon Ward
Mission: México Querétaro Mission
Temple: Mexico City Mexico Temple
Bomet Kenya District (2326450)
Organized on 8 March 2026
- Bomet Branch
- Kapkesosio Branch
- Kyongong Branch
Parent: Kenya Nairobi West Mission
Temple: Nairobi Kenya Temple
Mangu Nigeria District (2311054)
Organized on 8 March 2026
- Chapkwai Branch
- Dadin Kowa Branch
- Gerkawa Branch
- Gindiri Branch
- Mabudi Branch
- Mangu Branch
- Pankshin Branch
Parent: Nigeria Abuja Mission
Temple: Aba Nigeria Temple
My ward in New Jersey had 7 baptisms in 2025. All are men above 18 and all are active. A Spanish ward in the stake had 43 baptisms.
Probably not quite, the half a million new members is raw, not net. After deaths and removals, we could expect an increase of 360,000-410,000, assuming deaths and removals stay within the range of previous years.
First Presidency broadens ward Sunday School Leadership opportunities:
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/sunday-school-leadership-opportunities-men-women
Other Handbook changed were also noted:
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/general-handbook-march-2026
Regarding the recent change allowing ward/branch sunday school presidencies to consist of all men or all women:
If you look at the number of adult leadership callings in wards/branches and stakes, you’ll see more are male-specific than women-specific. This change reduces the imbalance, including in ward/branch councils. This change will especially help branches & smaller wards, while increasing leadership opportunities for women.
I have observed that over time wards/branches are strengthened by having members serve in stake callings. I have also observed that ward/branch leaders (especially branches and small wards) may sometimes be hesitant to recommend thier male members for stake callings because of their own immediate needs. Over time this dynamic can cause stonger wards to gain leadership experience faster than the weaker wards who need it the most.
Hopefully the sunday school presidency change will help with this.
The optional callings of ward/branch mission leader and activity committee chair are also not gender-specific.
A stunning development was reported by the Church today. The First Presidency has decided that, effective immediately, ward Sunday School Presidencies may be all male or all female:
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/general-handbook-march-2026
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/sunday-school-leadership-opportunities-men-women
https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2026/03/18/general-handbook-update-ordinances-covenants-ward-sunday-school-presidencies/
At the stake level, an assigned member of the high council will continue to serve as the stake Sunday School president, assisted by an all-male presidency. And the Sunday School General Presidency will also continue to be all males, although men and women will continue to serve on the Sunday School General Advisory Council.
This is a stunning development, and opens the opportunity for more women's voices in ward leadership. My thanks once again to you all.
Getting back to the subject of Church growth, my calculations (based on a complex algorithm and the information from this post and its' comments), I am estimating that the year-end Church membership for last year may be somewhere around 17,950,000 at minimum. It occurred to me to wonder if Alex's comment above was referring to Church membership now (March/April 2026) vs. year-end 2025. If so, I could easily see Church membership now having surpassed 18,000,000 as Alex suggested above. In any case, it would not shock me to see year-end 2026 membership at well over 18,000,000.
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