Judging by the television audience, Americans certainly care about the Super Bowl. Few, however, think God shares their concern. Last year’s Super Bowl drew more than 123.7 million U.S. viewers, the largest TV viewership in history. Yet, most U.S. adults don’t believe God cares who wins the big game or determines the the winner, according to a new study.
Read MoreA Lifeway Research study of U.S. Protestant pastors finds few hold or teach beliefs connected to the prosperity gospel, the theological movement that teaches God wants to make followers materially wealthy and will do so if individuals hold certain beliefs or perform specific actions.
Read More(REVIEW) The Baroque painter Francisco de Zurbarán is celebrated today as one of the greatest masters of the Spanish Golden Age. His many paintings of friars, nuns and saints for the churches and religious orders earned him the sobriquet “painter of monks.” A favorite subject was Saint Francis of Assisi and nearly 50 paintings of the 13th-century friar by Zurbarán or his assistants are known to have survived.
Read MoreChurchgoers may hear the Bible preached every Sunday — but their pastors also want them to engage with Scripture during the week. Almost all U.S. Protestant pastors say they encourage those in their church to read the Bible on their own using at least one of seven methods, according to a Lifeway Research study. On average, pastors say they use around five ways of encouragement. Less than 1% say they don’t use any or are unsure.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Theological truths remain unchanged regardless of the date on the calendar, as do many ministry realities. The context surrounding Christians and churches, however, is constantly changing. As pastors and church leaders think about ministering to their congregations and communities in 2025, they should keep these key trends in mind.
Read MoreAs Americans make their Christmas plans, slightly less than half say they usually attend a church service during the holiday season. A new study finds U.S. adults are split on whether they’ll be at church sometime this Christmas — 47% say they typically attend church at Christmastime, while 48% say they do not, and 5% aren’t sure.
Read MoreHeading into the busiest shopping season of the year, many Americans may find meaning and purpose while they’re picking up gifts for others and themselves. A Lifeway Research study asked 1,200 U.S. adults their level of agreement with 10 statements related to issues of consumerism and contentment.
Read MoreAccording to a Lifeway Research study, around four in five U.S. adults who attend a Protestant church in a typical month are members of that congregation. Specifically, 82% of regular churchgoers say they are currently a member of the church they attend. Fewer than one in five (17%) say they’re not a member, while 1% aren’t sure.
Read MoreAt church, churchgoers are surrounded by people who share their religious beliefs, but that doesn’t prevent them from having friends who believe differently.
Read MoreAmerican churchgoers are looking for more than biblical explanation from their pastor each week. Many expect the sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues. Four in five U.S. Protestant churchgoers believe a pastor must address current issues to be doing their job, according to a Lifeway Research study. Only 16% disagree and 4% aren’t sure.
Read MoreA new study found 66% of U.S. Protestant pastors say the economy is very or somewhat negatively impacting their church. The two in three pastors who report a negative economic impact is the highest since 2011, and the 14% who say the impact has been very negative is the highest ever recorded in the 15-year history of the study.
Read MoreFew pastors endorse political candidates outside their role at church. Even fewer endorse during a church service. Most Americans like it that way, but they’re growing more supportive of churches jumping into the political fray. Lifeway Research studies of U.S. Protestant pastors and Americans found little practice or support for political endorsements from clergy and churches.
Read MoreEvangelicals may be bigger on cultural engagement in theory than in practice. They say they want to share biblical truth but don’t always take the opportunities in front of them. Some don’t even spend time regularly reading Scripture.
Read MoreEntering into the final months leading up to the 2024 presidential election, former President Trump holds a sizable lead over Vice President Kamala Harris among evangelicals. Likely voters with evangelical beliefs are twice as likely to plan to cast their ballot for Trump than Harris (61% to 31%), according to a study from Lifeway Research. Few say they are still undecided (5%) or supporting another candidate (3%).
Read MoreA Lifeway Research study found U.S. Protestant pastors are just as likely to say someone connected to their congregation has been personally affected by opioid abuse today as compared to five years ago. They are less likely, however, to report their church is providing spiritual support for those addicted or any type of support group for those dealing with substance abuse.
Read MoreAccording to a Lifeway Research study of U.S. Protestant churches with ongoing adult Bible study groups, 56 percent say the label “Sunday School” describes at least part of their groups ministry. Almost three in four (72 percent) say they are comfortable with others referring to their groups as adult Bible studies.
Read MoreLike other Americans, pastors are deciding who they’ll vote for in the November election. Compared to previous elections, however, they’re much more hesitant to share their preference. With 50 days to go before Americans vote, here's a look at what pastors think of the two candidates.
Read MoreAfter a difficult economic stretch for many churches and pastors, Southern Baptist pastors may feel more comfortable compared to two years ago. Compensation for full-time Southern Baptist senior pastors, full-time staff ministers and full-time office personnel outpaced inflation over the past two years, according to a study conducted by Lifeway Research.
Read MoreOverwhelmingly, Americans think the moral values of the country are worsening. Around four in five U.S. adults (81 percent) say the state of moral values is getting worse, and only 14 percent say it’s getting better. That gives the future outlook a minus 67 score — down 24 points from 2002.
Read MoreA majority of U.S. adults believe humans came about because of divine intervention, but there’s disagreement over what that involvement looked like. A Gallup survey finds 37% of Americans believe God created human beings pretty much in their present form at one time within the last 10,000 years or so.
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