Recently on a messageboard I ran across this chart and explanation. Anyone want to check the math (or talk about the implications?):
HOW TO USE THESE CHARTS
- The statistics with white backgrounds are ones reported by the church itself.
- The statistics with gray backgrounds are derived by subsequently “doing the math” on one's own.
- The statistics with yellow borders (Starting with 1991) are approximations thanks to the church having rounded its numbers to the nearest thousand or ten thousand.
- All negative signs (“-“) should be interpreted as “a loss of.”
- If you'd like to check my math, click on the year to see the church's official online Statistical Report for that particular year.
In the following chart, the “net increase” statistic comes from subtracting last year's membership total from this year's membership total. The “gross increase” statistic comes from adding the “convert baptisms” to the “increase in children of record.” Keep in mind that there should always be some loss of members (i.e., the “net increase this year” should always be less than the “gross increase this year”), since there will always be members who fail to become baptized at age 8*, voluntarily remove their names from the records, are excommunicated, or simply die.
| * | An official in the Church Office Building reports that for approximately the last 30 years “children of record” have been included in the membership total, not children who are baptized at age 8. In other words, children blessed in Sacrament Meeting and children age 7 or less of converts are immediately included in the aggregate membership total. So for purposes of the church's increase, the statistic titled “increase in children of record” should be considered in the total, not “eight-year-olds baptized,” “eight-year-old children of record baptized,” or “children of record baptized.” |
| Year | Membership | A: Net increase this year | Convert baptisms | Increase in chil- dren of record* | B: Gross increase this year | (B minus A) Member loss |
| 2008 | 13,508,509 | 314,510 | 265,593 | 123,502 | 389,095 | -74,585 |
| 2007 | 13,193,999 | 323,393 | 279,218 | 93,698 | 372,916 | -47,523 |
| 2006 | 12,868,606 | 307,737 | 272,845 | 94,006 | 366,851 | -59,114 |
| 2005 | 12,560,869 | 285,047 | 243,108 | 93,150 | 336,258 | -51,211 |
| 2004 | 12,275,822 | 290,568 | 241,239 | 98,870 | 340,109 | -49,541 |
| 2003 | 11,985,254 | 263,706 | 242,923 | 99,457 | 342,380 | -78,674 |
| 2002 | 11,721,548 | 327,026 | 283,138 | 81,132 | 364,270 | -37,244 |
| 2001 | 11,394,522 | 325,661 | 292,612 | 69,522 | 362,134 | -36,473 |
| 2000 | 11,068,861 | 315,875 | 273,973 | 81,450 | 355,423 | -39,548 |
| 1999 | 10,752,986 | 398,745 | 306,171 | 84,118 | 390,289 | +8,456† |
| 1998 | 10,354,241 | 283,717 | 299,134 | 76,829 | 375,963 | -92,246 |
| 1997 | 10,070,524 | 375,975 | 317,798 | 75,214 | 393,012 | -17,037 |
| 1996 | 9,694,549 | 353,651 | 321,385 | ?‡ | ? | ? |
| 1995 | 9,340,898 | 316,329 | 304,330 | ?‡ | ? | ? |
| 1994 | 9,024,569 | 328,345 | 300,730 | ?‡ | ? | ? |
| 1993 | 8,696,224 | 289,329 | 304,808 | ?‡ | ? | ? |
| 1992 | 8,406,895 | 286,895 | 274,477 | ?‡ | ? | ? |
| 1991 | 8,120,000 | 360,000 | 297,770 | ?‡ | ? | ? |
| 1990 | 7,760,000 | 460,000 | 330,877 | ?‡ | ? | ? |
| 1989 | 7,300,000 | 580,000 | 318,940 | ?‡ | ? | ? |
| 1988 | 6,720,000 | 280,000 | 256,515 | 93,000 | 349,515 | -69,515 |
| 1987 | 6,440,000 | 270,000 | 227,284 | 99,000 | 326,284 | -56,284 |
| 1986 | 6,170,000 | 250,000 | 216,210 | 93,000 | 309,210 | -59,210 |
| 1985 | 5,920,000 | 270,000 | 197,640 | 95,000 | 292,640 | -22,640 |
| 1984 | 5,650,000 | 250,000 | 192,983 | 98,000 | 290,983 | -40,983 |
| 1983 | 5,400,000 | 235,000 | 189,419 | 120,000 | 309,419 | -74,419 |
| 1982 | 5,165,000 | 229,000 | 207,000 | 124,000 | 331,000 | -102,000 |
| 1981 | 4,936,000 | 298,000 | 224,000 | >111,000§ | >335,000 | > -37,000 |
| 1980 | 4,638,000 | 199,000 | 211,000 | >103,000§ | >314,000 | >-115,000 |
| 1979 | 4,439,000 | 279,000 | 193,000 | >107,000§ | >300,000 | > -21,000 |
| 1978 | 4,160,000 | 194,000 | 152,000 | > 97,000§ | >249,000 | > -55,000 |
| 1977 | 3,966,000 | 223,251 | 167,939 | > 95,000§ | >262,939 | > -39,688 |
| 1976 | 3,742,749 | 170,547 | 133,959 | > 88,522§ | >222,481 | > -51,934 |
| 1975 | 3,572,202 | 186,293 | 95,412 | > 79,723§ | >175,135 | >+11,158† |
| 1974 | 3,385,909 | 64,353|| | 69,018 | > 72,717§ | >141,735 | > -77,382 |
