By Aaron Earls BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — Most pastors are expecting one of their largest crowds on Easter, but those expectations have tempered some in the past decade. The three highest-attendance Sundays for pastors—Easter, Christmas and Mother’s Day—have remained the same since 2011, but each is now less likely to be among the top days, according to a Lifeway Research study … [Read more...]
Hispanic Protestant Pastors Face Unique Congregational and Community Needs
By Aaron Earls BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — Pastors of Hispanic Protestant churches in the United States maintain immense gratitude for their role, but many face financial struggles. Their congregations reflect diverse worship styles, but they have a unified desire to reach and serve their communities. Lifeway Research partnered with numerous denominations and church networks to … [Read more...]
Evangelicals back immigration reform, increased border security
By Aaron Earls BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — American evangelicals have complex perspectives on immigration and want a nuanced political response, but most want Congress to act soon. A Lifeway Research study sponsored by the Evangelical Immigration Table found evangelicals are increasingly concerned about the number of recent immigrants to the U.S. but still believe Christians have … [Read more...]
Pastors oppose sports betting but often not actively
By Aaron Earls BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — With the Super Bowl this weekend, don’t expect many pastors to place a bet on Kansas City or San Francisco to win the game, but a few may have more than a rooting interest riding on the game. Despite its legalization across many states, U.S. Protestant pastors remain opposed to sports gambling, but they’re not doing much about it, … [Read more...]
Baptisms rebound, but negative trend continues in Southern Baptist churches
By Aaron Earls BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — With far fewer churches gathering in person, Southern Baptist congregations didn’t do much baptizing during the pandemic. Those numbers have increased in recent years, but the overall decline within the Convention continues. In 2022, Southern Baptist congregations that reported figures for the Annual Church Profile (ACP) recorded 180,177 … [Read more...]