AZMN churches report highest number of baptisms in 20 years

In 2025, Arizona Mission Network churches surpassed a baptism goal set before the pandemic and recorded the highest number of baptisms in 20 years.

“Yes — Jesus still saves!” said Monty Patton, AZMN executive director.

“Based on the ACP (Annual Church Profile) reports received, churches surpassed the goal of 3,000 baptisms by reporting 3,245,” Patton wrote in his May report to the Convention Council. “This is 459 more than in 2024, which was previously the strongest year in the past 19 years.”

In Arizona, the percentage increase in baptisms from 2024 to 2025 was 16.5 percent, surpassing the 4.96 percent reported for the Southern Baptist Convention as a whole.

In 2025, LifeBridge Church in Tucson had one of the highest baptism-to-worship-attendance ratios in the Arizona Mission Network, based on reported ACP statistics. Some of those baptized attended LifeBridge through a connection with a recovery center, said Pastor Vance Wood. In January 2026, LifeBridge merged with Shine Bright Church. (Photo courtesy of Vance Wood)

The climb to 3,000 baptisms has had its challenges.

“The AZMN Church Life Team set a target goal for 3,000 baptisms in Arizona by 2025, and then the pandemic arrived a couple of weeks later,” said Eddy Pearson, AZMN evangelism and discipleship director. Baptisms reported for 2020 dropped by almost 1,000 to 1,545.

However, he said, “AZMN churches have been moving the needle since 2020. . . . This makes two record-breaking years for the AZMN. Praise the Lord for the 459 increase over 2024!”
Now, a new goal has been set.

“We are working toward 3,500 baptisms,” Pearson said.