I looked into LDS growth stats after an apostle claimed, “In the last 12 months ending May 31st, the Lord’s hastening of his work resulted in the largest number of convert baptisms in any 12-month period in this dispensation.”

Dispensation = one of seven gospel eras (Adam → Joseph Smith) in LDS belief.

By including 'dispensation' in the description, the LDS Church touts record-breaking convert totals as proof that God is ‘hastening His work’, yet the percentage growth rate has flat-lined for over a decade. Those raw numbers hide stagnation rather than a surge. Slower growth aside, based on this new data, there will likely still be impressive absolute growth in 2025.

Orange line = Total Membership = Living Members + New Children + Converts – Deaths – Resignations. Deceased and record removals are not publicly reported.
Blue line = 2-year moving-avg annual % growth.

  • Membership climbed 3.6 M → 17.5 M since 1974 (~5×).
  • Growth rate peaked ~6% in early 90s. It hasn’t cracked 2% since 2013 and was 1.4% last year.

Sources

  • LDS Church Annual Statistical Report – here
  • Wikipedia – here

Tool

  • Tableau Public – here (other charts too)

Posted by Browningtons1

3 comments

  1. It would be nice if they actually showed active members instead of including the guy who hasn’t been to church since 2004

  3. So it wasn’t the OLympics. What accounts for that weird spike? An extra-good missionary class? Doubtful.

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