Research reveals importance of small groups, evangelism, assimilation for church growth
NASHVILLE (BP) – As churches continue ministry in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, many are finding it increasingly difficult to grow their small groups. However, churches continue to report new commitments to Christ and changed lives.
First Lifeway Women event of 2023 equips women to mature their faith
HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. – More than 2,400 women filled Long Hollow Baptist Church for “Going Beyond Live” with Priscilla Shirer, the first Lifeway Women event of the year.
Plan for evangelism: How a Biblical understanding of evangelism calls for intentionality
Although believers recognize their calling to share the gospel with their neighbors, not many are having evangelistic conversations. In a 2022 study conducted by Lifeway Research, few Christians say they had shared the gospel with a non-Christian loved one (38%) or stranger (30%) in the last six months. Yet most Americans are open to having faith conversations with strangers (51%) or friends (66%).
Pastors encourage racial reconciliation, churchgoers want more diversity
NASHVILLE (BP) – Although pastors are doing more to encourage racial reconciliation and churchgoers say their church is doing enough to be ethnically diverse, nearly half of churchgoers say their church needs to become more ethnically diverse.
Churchgoers value time alone with God, practice varies
NASHVILLE (BP) – Most Protestant churchgoers spend time alone with God at least daily, but there’s a range in what they do in that time and what resources they use.
How can pastors help their congregations read the Bible better next year?
Although Christians confess the Bible is God’s Word, many don’t read it regularly—much less daily. According to Lifeway Research, 1 in 3 Americans (32%) who regularly attend a Protestant church say they read the Bible personally every day. Close to 1 in 8 (12%) admit they rarely or never read the Bible. Reading the Bible can be challenging—even for the Christian who believes Scripture is the inspired Word of God.
Lifeway Women conference invites women to move forward as leaders
NASHVILLE (BP) – The call to leadership can be a challenge. And for many, the last two years have been marked by grief, loneliness and fear. At Lifeway Women’s Leadership Forum, women explored how to move forward with joy, hope, prayer, humility, unity, thanksgiving and contentment.
Use Halloween to engage others, pastors say in Lifeway study
NASHVILLE (BP) – This year, as millions of Americans celebrate Halloween, many Protestant pastors in the United States are encouraging their church members to respond to the holiday in specific ways.
Lifeway Women Symposium provides theological training for women, launches Lifeway Women Academy
WAKE FOREST, N.C. – More than 500 women gathered for the Lifeway Women Symposium at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest because they wanted to know God more deeply through His Word.
Lifeway campers give more than $540,000 to IMB, NAMB
NASHVILLE (BP) – Ben Mandrell, president and CEO of Lifeway Christian Resources, presented checks totaling $543,300.81 to International Mission Board (IMB) President Paul Chitwood and North American Mission Board (NAMB) President Kevin Ezell on Monday (Sept. 19) during the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee meeting.