NASHVILLE, Tenn. – While most Americans say religious liberty is on the decline in the country, even more believe Christians are increasingly confronted with intolerance in the U.S. But some say American Christians complain too much about how they are treated. Over half of Americans (54%) say religious liberty is on the decline in America, including 24% who strongly agree, according to a Lifeway Research survey of 1,005 Americans in September 2021. Nearly 1 in 3 disagree (32%), and 14% … [Read more...]
Pastors say they need to develop disciple-making, technology skills
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (LifeWay Research) – Disciple making is the primary call of every pastor, and most recognize this as a skill they should continue to develop as church leaders. According to the latest release in Lifeway Research’s 2022 Greatest Needs of Pastors study, U.S. Protestant pastors say disciple making and technology are the two areas of skill development they most need to invest in to help them be better pastors. "These findings come in a season when pastors feel a spotlight … [Read more...]
LifeWay Donates Nearly 30,000 Spanish Bibles to Struggling Venezuelan Communities
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Somewhere in a Venezuelan prison, *Luis, a 26-year-old inmate, recently received new life after placing His trust in Christ. And his newfound faith has been bolstered in large part due to a new Bible he received through a partnership with LifeWay and an organization that has been mobilized to distribute copies of God’s Word throughout the country. In August 2020, LifeWay Christian Resources donated nearly 30,0000 copies of Spanish “Reina Valera” (RVR) Bibles of nine … [Read more...]
LifeWay to offer free breakfast, workshops at SBC meeting
PHOENIX (BP) – Southern Baptists will learn more about the newly revised Christian Standard Bible (CSB) translation at the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Phoenix June 13-14. LifeWay Christian Resources will host a free breakfast focusing on "Discipleship through the Word." LifeWay President and CEO Thom S. Rainer, Michael Kelley, director of discipleship, and Daniel Im, director of church multiplication, will address the essential role of Bible engagement in the process … [Read more...]
Few pastors asked to perform same-sex weddings following SCOTUS ruling
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (LifeWay) – More than 100,000 same-sex couples have tied the knot since the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriages nationwide last year. But for preachers, being asked to do a same-sex wedding remains rare. A new survey by Nashville-based LifeWay Research found 11 percent of Protestant senior pastors have been asked to perform a same-sex wedding. Baptist pastors (1 percent) are the least likely to say they were asked to perform a same-sex wedding. … [Read more...]
Pastors favor patriotism for July Fourth services
Article by Carol Pipes NASHVILLE – Americans who attend a Protestant worship service the week of July Fourth are likely to get a good dose of God and country. Six in 10 Protestant pastors (61 percent) say it's important for Fourth of July worship services to incorporate patriotic elements to celebrate America, according to a survey by LifeWay Research. And while they plan to celebrate the birth of the nation, more than half (53 percent) agree their congregation sometimes seems to love … [Read more...]
Should adulterous pastors be banned?
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Half of Protestant pastors say their colleagues should step down from the pulpit for a time if they are accused of misconduct. Most say such accusations should be kept in confidence until proven. And few think pastors who commit adultery should be permanently banned from ministry. Those are among the findings of a new telephone survey of 1,000 Protestant senior pastors from Nashville-based LifeWay Research. “Pastors believe church leaders should be held to high … [Read more...]
BREAKING: LifeWay signs purchase agreement for Capitol View site
LifeWay Christian Resources has signed a purchase agreement for 2.7 acres in Capitol View, a new mixed-‐use, urban development in Nashville’s North Gulch district. Northwestern Mutual Real Estate is developing the 32-‐acre site at Charlotte Avenue and 11th Avenue North with Boyle Investment Co. Thom S. Rainer, LifeWay’s president and CEO, made the announcement at a morning news conference on the prospective site near 11th Avenue and Clinton Street, Thursday, Feb. 4. “We are very … [Read more...]
Views on divorce divide Americans
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Pastors believe not all divorces are created equal, but for many Americans any reason is as good as another according to new research from Nashville-based LifeWay Research. “Pastors make a distinction about the rightness of a divorce based on the reasons behind it,” says Scott McConnell, LifeWay Research vice president. “They want to account for the parts of Scripture that speak of possible rationales.” However, Americans view virtually all reasons for ending a marriage … [Read more...]
Religious freedom addressed in survey
NASHVILLE (BP) — Americans believe firmly in religious freedom but think atheists are more welcome than Muslims in the United States, Nashville-based LifeWay Research finds. More than 90 percent say people should be free to choose and practice religious beliefs. Nearly 7 in 10 call America a nation of many religions. Yet Americans acknowledge the nation embraces Christians and Jews more heartily than atheists or Muslims. While 92 percent agree America is a welcoming place for Christians … [Read more...]
Gay marriage gap widens for evangelicals, culture
NASHVILLE (BP) – Americans who have gay or lesbian friends are twice as likely to say gay marriage should be legal as those who have none. And more than half of Americans, meanwhile, say homosexuality is not sinful. Such survey results place evangelicals increasingly in a minority position in American culture over same-sex relationships. Same-sex marriage Nashville-based Lifeway Research, in a phone survey of 2,000 Americans on gay marriage, reported that friendship and faith play an … [Read more...]
LifeWay campus under contract
NASHVILLE – LifeWay Christian Resources has entered into a contract for the sale of their campus in downtown Nashville. Contract terms, including the sale price, have not been disclosed pending closing of the sale in a few months. The contract is with Uptown Nashville, LLC, a consortium of local and national developers formed specifically to develop this property. LifeWay president and CEO Thom S. Rainer said he is excited about the prospects for the property as well as LifeWay’s … [Read more...]