Lifeway Research

“A new study from Nashville-based Lifeway Research found close to 1% of evangelical and historically Black Protestant senior pastors step away from the pulpit each year—a rate statistically unchanged from a 2015 Lifeway Research study.” - Lifeway

“Former pastors are almost twice as likely as current pastors to say they felt isolated in their role (62% to 35%). When asked with whom they shared struggles at least once a month in their last pastorate….Fewer than half said they met with another pastor (44%)” - Lifeway

“In addition to differences in the average worship service, the general makeup of churches has undergone substantial shifts since the late 1990s, according to the National Congregational Study (NCS).” - Lifeway

“Two noticeable reasons stand out among the reasons young adults stop attending church for at least a year between ages 18-22: 32% dropped out because church members seemed judgmental or hypocritical 25% dropped out because they disagreed with the church’s stance on political/social issues” - Lifeway

“Those who see churches as helpful has increased 4-percentage points since prior to the pandemic, when 58% said religious organizations were having a positive impact in August 2019.” - Lifeway

“Almost 7 in 10 U.S. adults (68%) say they trust the people who live in their local community, according to a study from Nashville-based Lifeway Research. Close to a quarter of Americans (23%) disagree, and 10% say they aren’t sure.” - Lifeway

“According to a study from Lifeway Research, when asked which feeling they seek to avoid the most, 4 in 10 U.S. adults (41%) say fear. Far fewer say shame (24%) or guilt (22%). Around 1 in 10 aren’t sure.” - Lifeway

“Our personal experience and anecdotal evidence shouldn’t automatically outweigh solid statistical research, but it can provide a window into some of the confusion surrounding evangelicals.” - Lifeway

“Mainline pastors (43 percent) are also more likely to believe marijuana should be legalized for any purpose than evangelical pastors (10 percent).

“Integral to these findings is that people who engage the Bible one to three days a week indicate basically the same effect on their personal lives as those who do not engage at all. The deceptive reality is that they can feel good about their activities without any sustainable results.” - LifeWay