Latter-day Saint Growth Tops 66% Since 2000, After 2025 Shattered Old Record for Convert Baptisms

Church membership passes 17.88 million as growth accelerates under new prophet's leadership

Apr. 5, 2026 at 10:38pm

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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has grown 66% this century, fueled in part by a record-breaking number of 385,490 convert baptisms in 2025 - shattering the previous record set in 1990 by 16.51%. The church had 17,887,212 members at the end of 2025, up from 10,752,986 at the turn of the century.

Why it matters

The Latter-day Saint growth is not isolated to Africa or Latin America, but has seen at least a 20% increase in convert baptisms across every region of the world in the first quarter of 2025. This growth comes after the nearly 8-year presidency of Russell M. Nelson, who died in September 2025, and a period of disruption to missionary work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The details

The church credits the 'spiritual momentum' to three principles - missionaries focusing on the doctrine of Christ, finding the right people to teach, and inviting them to sacrament meeting the first week they start to become curious about the church. The church also saw a record 1 million students enrolled in its Seminaries and Institutes programs, bucking the trend of declining youth participation in other faiths.

  • In 2025, the church saw 385,490 convert baptisms, shattering the previous record set in 1990 of 330,877.
  • From January 2018, when Russell M. Nelson became the church's president, through the end of 2025, church membership grew by 11%.
  • The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted missionary work during much of Nelson's presidency, with convert baptisms dropping 49.4% in 2020.

The players

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

A global Christian denomination headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, with over 17.8 million members worldwide.

Russell M. Nelson

The late president and prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who served from 2018 until his death in September 2025.

Quentin L. Cook

A member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles who reported on the record-breaking period of convert baptisms from mid-2024 to mid-2025.

Clark G. Gilbert

A member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and the church's commissioner of education, who commented on the record enrollment in the church's seminary and institute programs.

Dallin H. Oaks

The current president and prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who was sustained during the 196th Annual General Conference in April 2026.

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What they’re saying

“We thank the Lord for allowing us to witness his hand in these remarkable outcomes.”

— Quentin L. Cook, Member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

“Counter to the narrative sometimes heard that young people are leaving their faith, the numbers actually show that youth and young adults in the Church Educational System are flocking to their faith.”

— Clark G. Gilbert, Church Commissioner of Education

What’s next

The church will continue to focus on the three principles that have driven its recent growth - doctrinal teaching, finding the right people to teach, and inviting them to participate in the church community.

The takeaway

The Latter-day Saint Church's remarkable growth over the past decade, including record-breaking convert baptisms and surging youth participation, demonstrates the enduring appeal of its mission-driven model and community-based values in an era of declining religious affiliation.