Lifeway Research
Southern Baptists lost nearly half a million members in 2022
By Bob Smietana — May 9, 2023
(RNS) —The Southern Baptist Convention has lost 3 million members since 2006, about half of that in the last five years.
US Hispanic Protestant churches are young, growing and largely new to the country
By Alejandra Molina — January 30, 2023
(RNS) — 'We see more and more English-speaking churches either planting a Hispanic church or adding a service in Spanish to their current congregation,' said Giancarlo Montemayor with Lifeway Recursos.
Now’s the time to hew to your faith — by doubting your faith
By Bruce B. Miller — November 3, 2022
(RNS) — The realizations we uncover on our own terms have the potential to transform our lives.
When it comes to Halloween, pastors have opinions, according to new survey
By Emily McFarlan Miller — October 18, 2022
(RNS) — More than 90% of pastors encourage their congregations to observe Oct. 31 in a particular way, but that ranges from avoiding Halloween completely to inviting people to Halloween-adjacent events at their churches.
Suicide is not a sin to be judged
By Jacob Lupfer — September 9, 2022
(RNS) — Views among believers and faith leaders concerning suicide have evolved to be more sensitive and compassionate.
For New Year’s resolutions, better health ranks higher than God, family or money
By Bob Smietana — December 28, 2021
(RNS) — About a quarter of Americans say they want to work on their finances and relationship with God, according to a new Lifeway Research survey.
The pandemic has helped religion’s reputation. Do religious vaccine resisters put this progress at risk?
By Kelsey Dallas — October 12, 2021
(RNS) — New research shows Americans found houses of worship helpful during the pandemic, more than almost any other institution.
As Southern Baptists begin to grapple with sexual abuse, looming challenges remain
By Yonat Shimron and Bob Smietana — June 28, 2021
(RNS) — One week after the convention closed, an advocate for sex abuse survivors posted to a blog that a registered sex offender has been preaching at a Dallas Southern Baptist church.
Study: More churches closing than opening
By Yonat Shimron — May 26, 2021
(RNS) — The study, which analyzed church data from 34 Protestant denominations and groups, found that 4,500 churches closed in 2019, while about 3,000 new congregations were started.
Survey: Churchgoers say they plan to return to in-person services
By Yonat Shimron — March 10, 2021
(RNS) — Many churches are already meeting in person, but attendance has typically been smaller to accommodate for social distancing. That will likely change, a Lifeway Research poll suggests.
Study reveals half of pastors say they’re hearing conspiracy theories in their churches
By Emily McFarlan Miller — January 26, 2021
(RNS) — The most likely to agree they frequently heard conspiracy theories from their congregants were those who pastor churches with attendance of 250 or more people.
Church conflict during COVID-19 growing worry for pastors, says LifeWay Research
By Adelle M. Banks — August 12, 2020
(RNS) — ‘My people are in very different places regarding the virus,’ wrote one pastor.
Evangelical, Midwestern, Southern churches most likely to be meeting in person again
By Emily McFarlan Miller — July 24, 2020
(RNS) — But even for those churches that have reopened, services likely don’t look like they did before COVID-19 upended everyday life in the United States.
For first time, survey finds majority of pastors says global warming is real, man-made
By Adelle M. Banks — April 21, 2020
(RNS) — In previous studies, researchers found pastors were more skeptical of human-caused climate change.
Survey: Protestant pastors don’t think geopolitics hastens Second Coming
By Jack Jenkins — January 14, 2020
(RNS) — Only 12% of U.S. Protestant pastors say that they strongly or somewhat agreed with the idea that Christians can speed up the return of Christ by supporting geopolitical changes mentioned in the Bible.
Page 1 of 4
