By Aaron Earls NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The coronavirus outbreak has had ripple effects across the country, including in U.S. churches, according to a new study of pastors. Nashville-based Lifeway Research asked Protestant pastors how the pandemic has impacted their congregations and what their plans are for the near future. While nearly all pastors say their church held … [Read more...]
Mainline pastors drive growth in pastoral support for same-sex marriage
By Aaron Earls NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Approval for same-sex relationships has grown among Protestant pastors, but a majority still disapprove. A new survey from Nashville-based Lifeway Research asked Protestant pastors their thoughts on same-gender marriages and civil unions. In the most recent survey, 24% of pastors say they see nothing wrong with two people of the same … [Read more...]
Pastors Less Optimistic About Economy’s Impact on Their Congregation
By Aaron Earls NASHVILLE, Tenn. — As retail stores hope the holiday shopping season gives their bottom line a lift, American Protestant pastors are less sure the economy is helping their congregation this year. Around 2 in 5 pastors of Protestant churches in the United States (41%) say the economy is having no impact on their church, according to a new survey from … [Read more...]
Half of Pastors See Opioid Abuse in Their Own Congregations
By Aaron Earls NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Like most U.S. pastors, Robby Gallaty knows someone who has been affected by opioid abuse. But unlike most pastors, Gallaty has personally suffered through addiction. Twenty years ago this month, Gallaty endured a near-fatal car accident. When he left the hospital, the club-bouncer-turned-church-leader took with him several prescriptions … [Read more...]
African Americans Have Mixed Opinions and Often No Opinions on Israel
By Aaron Earls NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- American Jews and African Americans often worked side by side during the civil rights movement, including when rabbis walked with Martin Luther King Jr. in the march to Selma in 1965. In more recent years, however, the relationship has become more complicated due to conflicts between the nation of Israel and Palestinians and the … [Read more...]
