Pastors and church leaders should be aware of AI-powered preaching uses within their churches while remaining diligent toward the ways in which AI can undermine the message being communicated and change us without us even being aware.
Compared to three years ago, pastors say theyre more likely to be relying on armed churchgoers and less likely to have a no firearms policy for their building, reflecting shifts in church security measures.
Those leading the smallest churches, with fewer than 50 in attendance at weekend worship services, are among the most likely to say their congregations have a growing pastor fear in congregations about the future of the country and world (72%).
More than 1 in 10 churchgoers say someone in their congregation has provided foster care, adopted a child from the U.S., or adopted a child from another country within the last year, reflecting a growing focus on church foster care adoption.
Slightly more churches today have reserves ranging from 16 to 51 weeks. In 2016, 27% said that was the case. Today, 32% have that amount on hand. The percentage of pastors today who say their congregation has more than a year’s worth is similar to 2016 (23% in 2016 vs. 24% now).
As new members join Hispanic Protestant churches, they become part of congregations that are actively trying to grow together, according to their pastors. Almost 9 in 10 (88%) say their church has a plan to foster community in their church, including 53% who strongly agree.
Christians split between those who don’t believe this is the end times (49%) and those who do (47%), including 20% who believe Jesus will return after global circumstances worsen.
Mainline pastors are more likely than their evangelical counterparts to say their most attended service is on Christmas Eve (60% v. 44%), while evangelical pastors are more likely than mainline ministers to say their highest attendance event is during the third week of December (30% v. 17%).
Despite churches returning to pre-pandemic levels of holding in-person services, not all churchgoers have followed suit.
Most pastors in all denominational groups say women could be ministers to children, ministers to teenagers, committee leaders or coed adult Bible study teachers in their churches.
