Eight years ago, Lifeway Research asked Protestant pastors who they planned to support in the presidential election and only three percent declined to answer. That number didn't change much in 2020, when four percent declined. But things changed recently, when almost a quarter of the pastors refused to voice their choice in the 2024 White House race.
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 MoreA report issued on Tuesday found that religious beliefs aren’t motivated by politics and that a series of “misconceptions” has left Americans polarized. More in Common, a nonpartisan research organization, released the report where more than 6,000 Americans were polled just two months before the presidential election.
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 MoreThe exemption, the appellate court affirmed, does not violate the Fifth Amendment’s guarantee of equal protection under the law or the First Amendment’s establishment clause, which prohibits the government from establishing a particular religion.
Read MoreReports showing sustained increases in food and home prices alongside a cooling labor market highlight a continuing challenge for churches.
Read MoreAccording to the annual State of the Church Compensation Survey by ChurchSalary, the average church increased its staff salaries and benefits more than they expected in 2024. In 2023, churches predicted they would increase personnel budgets by 4.5%, but the average actual increase turned out to be 4.9%. The greatest increase was seen in the cost of benefits.
Read MoreNot only are churchgoers watching Christian movies, but some find them useful as an evangelistic and discipleship tool. A recent study asked churchgoers if they agree with the statement, “Christian movies are effective evangelism tools.” The study by Lifeway Research finds 68 percent of American Protestant churchgoers have watched a Christian movie in the last year. Around four in five say Christian movies are effective evangelism tools.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Every once in a while I will get an email from someone who doesn’t really fit the mold. Let me be clear that the amount of communication I get from Bernie Sanders-supporting White evangelicals is not huge. The more common sentiment is a White evangelical who sees themselves as politically moderate or really pushed out by the modern MAGA Republican Party.
Read MoreDuring the Cold War, an oft overlooked battle for minds unfolded on the vast stage of Africa. As colonial powers withdrew and new African nations emerged, both the United States and the Soviet Union scrambled for alliances. Author Phil Dow’s new book, “Accidental Diplomats,” catalogs the influence of American evangelical missionaries in Ethiopia, Kenya and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Read MoreRyan Walters, Oklahoma’s superintendent of public instruction, spoke recently inside the Board of Education conference room at the state Capitol complex in Oklahoma City. The interview came amid a national debate that every teacher in Oklahoma must be provided with physical copies of the Bible, the U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence and the Ten Commandments.
Read MoreSeven weeks after Robert Morris resigned from Gateway Church after Cindy Clemishire publicly claimed he abused her in the 1980s when she was 12 years old, Gateway has announced that Morris’ son, James Morris, is stepping away from the church.
Read More(REVIEW) “Shepherds” is certainly a book that is stuffed with footnotes, each page linking to multiple articles and websites to back up her claims. It’s unfortunately a book many people will jump to either attack or support without actually looking up the sources themselves. But it is a book that requires just that to responsibly engage with it. To Basham’s credit, she provides the footnotes for people to check her work. For this review, I did not fact-check every source that Basham cited.
Read MoreA pulpit used by Southern Baptist notables like George Truett and W.A. Criswell emerged intact after surviving a fire that gutted the historic sanctuary at First Baptist Church over the weekend.
Read MoreAccording to the 2023 Annual Church Profile, most Southern Baptist congregations, like New Vision, use background checks for volunteers. Fewer, however, say they have been trained in reporting sexual abuse or caring for sexual abuse survivors.
Read MoreMinistries continue to distance themselves from Robert Morris, founder of Gateway Church in Texas, in the wake of accusations that he sexually abused a girl for several years, starting when she was 12.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Two of the Founding Fathers shaped American views on religious freedom and the separation of church and state more than any other: Jefferson and James Madison. Yet their views have also become lightning rods for controversy as the “wall” between church and state comes under scrutiny.
Read MoreThe big news was politics, of course, as in a convention speech by Vice President Mike Pence. The journalism establishment was not amused, as illustrated in this CNN headline: “Pence accused of ‘hijacking’ evangelical meeting.” Various types of Southern Baptist conservatives welcomed him.
Read MoreAlmost a decade after the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage, most pastors remain opposed, and the supporting percentage isn’t growing. One in five Protestant pastors (21 percent) say they see nothing wrong with two people of the same gender getting married, according to a Lifeway Research study. Three in four (75 percent) are opposed, including 69 percent who strongly disagree.
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