For some Americans, dropping a check into the offering plate at church is a bit like having a Discover Card. Both offer a cash-back bonus. About a third of Protestant churchgoers say their congregation teaches that God will bless them if they donate money. Two-thirds say God wants them to prosper. One in 4 say […]
Most churchgoers will put up with a change in music style or a different preacher, according to a LifeWay Research study released June 26. But don’t mess with a church’s beliefs or there may be an exodus. The study of Protestant churchgoers found most are committed to staying at their church over the long haul. […]
About one in four Americans say they are evangelical Christians. Most of them are white, live in the South and identify as Republican. Many go to church every week. But they’re not always sure what they believe. Fewer than half of those who identify as evangelicals (45 percent) strongly agree with core evangelical beliefs, […]
In the fall of 1949, a little-known Baptist preacher launched a series of revival meetings at a “canvas cathedral” at the corner of Washington Boulevard and Hill Street in Los Angeles. The meetings were supposed to last three weeks. Instead they continued for eight weeks, drawing more than 300,000 people and making Billy Graham a […]
With churches and other faith groups collecting tens of billions of donations each year, some of the money unfortunately goes missing. About 1 in 10 Protestant churches has had someone embezzle funds, according to a survey released Aug. 3 of 1,000 Protestant senior pastors from LifeWay Research. The group conducted the survey Aug. 22-Sept. 16, […]
From cohabitation and same-sex marriage to birth control and bathrooms, Americans can’t seem to agree about what is right and wrong regarding sex. Their views are often rooted in faith, according to a study released today June 27. Those disputes can end up in court, in highly divisive and controversial cases. This week, the […]
Many Americans are more worried about their reputation than their conscience, a new study released May 23 shows. They worry less about guilt and fear and more about avoiding shame, according to the study from LifeWay Research that was conducted Sept. 27-Oct. 1, 2016. Shame has become particularly powerful in American culture in the […]
Americans have a positive view of the Bible. And many say the Christian Scriptures are filled with moral lessons for today. However, more than half of Americans have read little or none of the Bible. Less than a quarter of those who have ever read a Bible have a systematic plan for reading the Christian […]
Most Protestant senior pastors say their church is open to hearing about racial reconciliation, a study released March 30 suggests. And pastors seem to prefer personal relationships and prayer when it comes to addressing matters of race. Those are among the findings of a study about pastors, churches and racial reconciliation from LifeWay Research. […]
When it comes to domestic violence, Protestant pastors want to be helpful but often don’t know where to start, a new study shows. Most say their church would be a safe haven for victims of domestic violence. But many don’t know if anyone in their church has been a victim of domestic violence. And only […]