Aaron Earls

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Americans less optimistic about race relations, study shows

Fewer Americans believe the nation has made significant progress in race relations. A new study from Nashville-based LifeWay Research conducted prior to the 2020 election finds U.S. adults are less likely now than in 2014 to agree with the... Continue Reading »

Are pastors growing more hesitant to preach on race?

Pastors seem more reluctant to address issues of race in their congregations today than four years ago. According to a LifeWay Research study, 74 percent of pastors agree their congregation would welcome a sermon on racial reconciliation, with 32... Continue Reading »

Few churches back to pre-COVID attendance, offering levels

The vast majority of U.S. Protestant churches say they are holding in-person services, but churchgoers have yet to attend in the numbers they did before the coronavirus pandemic struck, and many pastors say the 2020 economy is hurting their... Continue Reading »

Churchgoers confident in the Bible, but sometimes find it challenging

Editor’s note: LifeWay defines a churchgoer as someone who attends at least one religious service a month. Most churchgoers say they can address doubts others have about the Bible, but half admit they have problems understanding Scripture on their... Continue Reading »

Most churches cautiously holding services again

Churches are gathering again, but services and programs remain drastically different from the beginning of the year. At the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, according to previous surveys from LifeWay Research, Protestant churches across the U.S. stopped gathering in-person... Continue Reading »

Are Believers Seeing Signs of End Times in Current Events?

Almost 9 in 10 pastors see at least some current events matching those Jesus said would occur shortly before He returns to earth, according to a new survey focused on Christian eschatology, or the study of end times. A... Continue Reading »

Most churches have stopped gathering, few plan to meet on Easter

The coronavirus outbreak has had ripple effects across the country, including in U.S. churches, according to a new study of pastors. Nashville-based LifeWay Research asked Protestant pastors how the pandemic has impacted their congregations and what their plans are... Continue Reading »

LifeWay develops free coronavirus response training resources

As the coronavirus spreads in the U.S., congregations are facing a situation many have never considered. In response, the LifeWay Leadership team has developed pandemic response resources that are being made available for free to assist pastors and church... Continue Reading »

Livestreaming Services Hasn’t Been Option for Many Churches

The latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance for groups during the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak recommended no gatherings of more than 50 people (the CDC later changed this to 10 people or less) for eight weeks. As... Continue Reading »

Half of pastors see opioid abuse in their own congregations

Like most U.S. pastors, Robby Gallaty knows someone who has been affected by opioid abuse. But unlike most pastors, he has personally suffered with addiction. Twenty years ago, Gallaty endured a near-fatal car accident. When he left the hospital,... Continue Reading »

Small, struggling congregations fill U.S. church landscape

In many congregations in the United States, new faces in the pews have become rare. A new study from Exponential by LifeWay Research found 6 in 10 Protestant churches are plateaued or declining in attendance, and more than half... Continue Reading »

Study confirms: Majority of college students drop out of church

Church pews may be full of teenagers, but a new study says college students might be a much rarer sight on Sunday mornings. Two-thirds (66 percent) of American young adults who attended a Protestant church regularly for at least... Continue Reading »