12 reasons why Florida is a mission field

Published August 2, 2007

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1. Florida is expected to become the third largest state in the U.S. in year 2011, behind Texas and California. Already Florida’s population is 18 million.

2. Fifteen Florida counties—or 25 percent—are among the 100 fastest growing counties in the U.S: Flagler, St. Lucie, Sumter, Lake, Lee, St. Johns, Hernando, Osceola, Pasco, Wakulla, Clay, Walton, Marion, Hendry and Columbia.

3. 20,000 foreign born refugees and immigrants move to Florida annually—more than any other state.

4. 4,500,000 foreign-born persons live in Florida.

5. 1,008 new residents move to Florida each day.

6. 401 church site grants have been disbursed to Florida Baptist churches through the Maguire State Mission Offering since 1975, totaling $10,189,318.

7. 20 interest free loans have been disbursed to Florida Baptist churches through the Maguire State Mission Offering since 2003, totaling $1,162,000.

8. Every Sunday, 22 languages are spoken in Florida Baptist congregations. In contrast, 167 languages are spoken by children in Miami-Dade schools.

9. 629 Florida Baptist churches, or 22 percent of all Florida Baptist churches, worship in a language other than English.

10. A total of 2,759 Florida Baptist congregations serve on mission in their communities.

11. An estimated 70 percent—or 12.6 million of the state’s 18 million population—persons living in the state of Florida do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

12. An estimated 10 million persons—including undocumented and undercounted—live in three South Florida counties—Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach—yet Florida Baptists only compose 1.38 percent of that population; statewide Florida Baptist compose 6.5 percent of the population.