On Christmas Day, churches plan to welcome “all ye faithful” and anyone else who wants to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Christmas falls on a Sunday this year, and for most pastors, that gives them all the more reason to gather. More than 5 in 6 U.S. Protestant pastors (84 percent) say their church plans […]
The closer it gets to Christmas, the more likely it is church pews will be filled. Half of U.S. Protestant pastors (48 percent) say a Christmas Eve service is their churches’ largest event during the holiday season, according to a Lifeway Research study. The frequency of the highest attendance events builds up to Christmas Eve […]
As churchgoers head to the ballot box for midterm elections, most expect the rest of their congregation to be voting the same way they do. Half of U.S. Protestant churchgoers (50 percent) say they’d prefer to attend a church where people share their political views, and 55 percent believe that to be the case at […]
Regardless of the situation in the United States, Christianity is growing around the world, especially in the global South, according to recently released analysis. The Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary regularly updates a report tracking statistics and trends of religion in general and Christianity specifically around the world. There […]
Many Americans found themselves in need as the COVID-19 pandemic caused significant loss of life, medical burdens and business closures. Most say local churches were helpful during this difficult season, but some didn’t see the aid congregations were offering. Nashville-based Lifeway Research found 53 percent of Americans say churches in their community have been helpful […]
Most people in America may hang Christmas decorations and exchange gifts on Dec. 25, but few say they could give all the details about the biblical Christmas story. A Lifeway Research study finds 9 in 10 U.S. adults say they celebrate Christmas, including many non-Christians. Overall, 91 percent of Americans celebrate the Christmas holiday, unchanged […]
More U.S. Protestant churches are gathering in person since the COVID-19 pandemic began, and pastors say most churchgoers have returned as well. Almost all U.S. Protestant pastors (98 percent) say their church met in person in August, according to a new Lifeway Research study. This marks the highest percentage of churches holding in-person services since […]
The pandemic forced churches across the country to make significant changes, but none were quite like the one at Stony Fork Community Church in Rock Hill, formerly known as Outbreak Church. After enduring the impact of COVID-19 like most every other congregation, Pastor Scott Carroll, along with the elders and staff of Outbreak Church, began […]
As Christian groups and denominations debate the proper response to clergy sexual misconduct (both child sexual abuse and adult sexual assault), most pastors believe those who commit such crimes should withdraw from public ministry permanently. At the recent Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting, the topic of pastoral sexual abuse and assault dominated much of the […]
U.S. Protestant churches endured a difficult 2020, including starting the year with fewer congregations. In 2019, approximately 3,000 Protestant churches were started in the U.S., but 4,500 Protestant churches closed, according to estimates from Nashville-based LifeWay Research. The number of Southern Baptist churches, however, grew in both 2019 and 2020. Church plants totaled 588 in […]