Research and Trends

According to a study by Lifeway Research, nearly 2 in 3 Protestant churchgoers (65%) intentionally spend time alone with God at least daily, with 44% saying daily and 21% saying more than once a day.

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.

The primary value that emerged from the 48 unique values was family, with 61% of adults saying that family is a value they would be willing to fight or even die to protect or preserve.

Religious beliefs and practice also play a role in attitudes toward suicide. Those with evangelical beliefs are more likely than those without evangelical beliefs to say suicide is selfish (48% v. 35%) and automatically leads to hell (39% v. 18%).

Most pastors have experience with mental illness in their congregations.