As the church navigates a post-pandemic world and ongoing economic pressures, budget constraints remain the biggest challenge to prioritizing new technology purchases, with the majority of churches (58%) allocating 10 percent or less of their annual budget to technology spend. Other top barriers include staffing, implementation, ease of use, and support.
Research indicates that church small group growth is important, with 44% of current weekend worship attendees involved in a small group, Sunday School or similar group, showing a slight decline since 2010.
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).
The number of adults who don’t fall wholly into the biblical worldview category, but still lean that direction, possessing “a substantial number of beliefs and behaviors consistent with biblical principles,” has fallen dramatically, as well.
Young BIPOC are slightly more religious than their White peers, with 37% reporting that they are moderately or very religious compared to 34% of White young people. Black young people report the highest rates of religiosity, with 46% indicating they are moderately or very religious. This article delves into the intersection of race, faith and mental health.
Compared to a 2016 Lifeway Research study, more pastors are socializing with neighbors of other ethnicities (70% v. 57%), discussing the issue with church leaders (63% v. 51%), meeting regularly with pastors of other ethnicities (46% v. 40%), and investing church funds in changing local economic inequalities (44% v. 31%), indicating a growing trend toward ethnic diversity in church.
Springtide Research Institute has released a new report: Navigating Injustice: A Closer Look at Race, Faith & Mental Health, drawing from a data set of 5,951 young people ages 13 to 25, 3,159 of which were BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color).
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.
Though not a prerequisite for sharing the gospel, relationships do make it easier. Each of the statistics on evangelistic activities of Christians is more common among friends and family.
Among young people ages 18-29, one in three say they go to church less than they did pre-pandemic. Before COVID, 30% of adults under the age of 30 did not attend religious services. By the Spring of 2022, that had risen to 43%.
