Research and Trends

Fastest-Growing Churches: Lessons From the Front Lines

“People see “big C” church as judgy, legalistic rules. If we can work together and show the opposite of that, I feel like that’s our role: to rewrite the narrative of church based on serving.” —Meghan Smith, Trace Church

What Message Are You Sending Visitors?

By immediately communicating, ‘You are welcome here,’ you are answering guests’ big question: Should I be here?

Ready to Talk: Are Christians Speaking Truth to Our Culture?

It is easy to say our goal is to tell others about Jesus, but we often skip the step of asking God to make this possible.

Southern Baptists More Historic Than Nationalist in Political Posture

Around 3 in 5 members (58%) and leaders (62%) say the government should not favor any specific religion or religious belief, while around a third of members (36%) and leaders (33%) say the government should favor Christianity.

A House Divided

Using biblical principles to shape your opinions about laws and leaders is important. How we treat others in our conversations about politics is also important.

Survey: New Data on Bible Reading Released

Baby Boomers were the only generation that saw a larger increase in the percentage of respondents who credit the Bible as a transformational influence in their lives.

Southern Baptists Lost More Than 1,200 Congregations in 2022

The primary reason congregations are no longer considered active Southern Baptist congregations is that they cease to exist.

Evangelicals in the Public Arena

While it is true that evangelicals tend to be much more conservative than the overall U.S. population, both liberals and moderates exist within the American evangelical community.

Time for a Change

Lifeway Research surveyed 1,001 adults who left churches. All of those interviewed had eventually made their way to a new church, so this snapshot does not include those who are gone for good.

Preteens on Track to Abandon Biblical Christianity in Record Numbers

Children are intellectual and spiritual sponges in their preteen years. They are desperately trying to make sense of the world, their identity, their purpose and how to live a meaningful and satisfying life.

The 2024 State of Church Giving Report Now Available

Despite an overall increase in giving, the report showed that 55% of churches reported a decrease in giving due to inflation.