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PERSONAL TOUCH DRIVES CHURCHGOER GIVING

April 18, 2018

By Bob Smietana
Senior Writer for Facts and Trends (from LifeWay Research)

NASHVILLE — When it comes to charity, a personal touch works 10 times better than Facebook — at least for churchgoers.

A new report from Nashville-based LifeWay Research found more than half of Protestant churchgoers say a personal connection inspired them to give money to a charity for the first time.

Social media such as Facebook inspired only 4 percent of similar donations.

See chart here: https://lifewayresearch.com/2018/04/17/personal-touch-drives-churchgoer-giving/

Three-quarters of churchgoers support at least one charity besides their church. Almost half do volunteer work. A similar number changed the charities they support.

Churchgoers like to give — and to get involved, said Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research.

“The question is, where will churchgoers give this year? The answer lies in having a personal connection,” McConnell said. “It turns out charity really does start close to home.”

Churn in charitable giving

The nationally representative study asked adults who attend a Protestant church at least once a month to look at their charitable giving from 2016.

Sixty percent of those churchgoers gave to the same number of charities in 2016 as they did the previous year. Fifteen percent gave to more charities. Eight percent gave to fewer, while 15 percent were not sure.

Among those who donated to charities, 49 percent made changes in which charities they supported in 2016. This included about a third (31 percent) who gave to a charity they’d never supported before.

“The reality is that funding for charities is anything but stable,” McConnell said. “When a donor adds a charity, it can take away from ministries they have supported in the past.”

When asked what factor prompted them most to give, 21 percent say they knew someone who worked there. Nineteen percent had met someone from the charity, while 18 percent say friends of theirs supported the charity. Fifteen percent had been to a fundraiser, while 15 percent had received a letter from the charity. Eleven percent had volunteered for the charity.

Phone calls (5 percent), television ads (5 percent), social network sites such as Facebook (4 percent), online ads (3 percent) and email appeals (2 percent) were less influential.

Most donors support a few charities

LifeWay Research also asked churchgoers how many charities they gave to last year, aside from their local congregation. Those charities could be religious or non-religious. The donations could not be property or volunteer time.

Seventy-three percent of churchgoers gave to at least one charity beyond their church.

This includes 15 percent who gave to one additional charity and 58 percent who gave to multiple charities. About a third (34 percent) gave to two or three additional charities. Nineteen percent gave to between four and seven charities. About 6 percent gave to eight or more additional charities.

About a quarter (27 percent) gave to no additional charities.

Churchgoers from Assemblies of God and other Pentecostal backgrounds are most likely to give only to their church (38 percent). Nondenominational Christians (30 percent) and Baptists (29 percent) were more likely to give only to their church than Lutherans (14 percent).

Lutherans (29 percent) are more likely to give to five or more charities than Baptist (13 percent), nondenominational (12 percent) or Assemblies of God/Pentecostal churchgoers (10 percent).

About half (48 percent) of churchgoers say they volunteer at a charity—including their church. Forty-four percent don’t volunteer. Eight percent aren’t sure.

Those who go to church at least once a week (51 percent) are more likely to say they volunteer than those who attend once or twice a month (30 percent). More than half of Methodist (63 percent), Lutheran (55 percent) and nondenominational churchgoers (53 percent) volunteer. Baptists (38 percent) are less likely.

“Donors come and go frequently,” McConnell said. “It helps to know why they give in the first place — typically a personal connection to the ministry or charity.”

 

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Filed Under: Culture Tagged With: LifeWay

ECONOMY HELPS BOOST CHURCH OFFERINGS

February 22, 2018

By Bob Smietana
Lifeway News Office

NASHVILLE — Church collection plates were a little bit fuller last fall, according to Nashville-based LifeWay Research.

About 40 percent of Protestant pastors say their churches received more offerings in 2017 than in 2016.

Three-quarters say their church met or exceeded budget.

And only about a third say the economy gave their church trouble.

Those are among the findings of a new report from LifeWay Research, based on a survey of 1,000 Protestant senior pastors. LifeWay Research has tracked the impact of the economy on churches since 2009, said Scott McConnell, executive director, and this is the first time the majority of pastors said the economy isn’t troubling their church. [Read more…]

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Filed Under: News, SBC Tagged With: data and statistics, LifeWay, money

LIFEWAY DEDICATES NEW HEADQUARTERS IN NASHVILLE

November 29, 2017

By Lisa Cannon Green
Baptist Press

LifeWay President and CEO Thom S. Rainer (center) is joined by Carlton Capps, manager of the Nashville LifeWay Store (left), Eric Geiger, LifeWay senior vice president and CBO (right) and members of the executive leadership team in cutting the ribbon to celebrate the grand opening of the SBC entity’s new corporate headquarters and LifeWay Store in downtown Nashville.
Photo by Katie Shull / LifeWay

NASHVILLE — LifeWay Christian Resources dedicated its new corporate headquarters Monday (Nov. 27) with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, a prayer of thanksgiving and a pledge to remain faithful to God’s Word.

President and CEO Thom S. Rainer recounted the changes taking place at LifeWay, from new physical spaces to new digital technologies. [Read more…]

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Filed Under: News, SBC Tagged With: LifeWay

SUICIDE REMAINS A TABOO TOPIC

November 8, 2017

By Bob Smietana
Lifeway Research

NASHVILLE — Suicide remains a taboo subject in many Protestant churches, despite the best efforts of pastors, according to a new study from LifeWay Research.

Eight in 10 Protestant senior pastors believe their church is equipped to intervene with someone who is threatening suicide.

Yet few people turn to the church for help before taking their own lives, according to their churchgoing friends and family. Only 4 percent of churchgoers who have lost a close friend or family member to suicide say church leaders were aware of their loved one’s struggles. [Read more…]

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Filed Under: News, SBC Tagged With: LifeWay, suicide

CONGRESS SHOULD END IRS OVERSIGHT OF SERMONS, SAY PROTESTANT PASTORS

October 17, 2017

By Bob Smietana
LifeWay Research

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—In the 1950s, Congress banned charitable nonprofits—including churches—from endorsing candidates or otherwise intervening in elections.

Any nonprofit that violated the ban could run afoul of the IRS. Churches risked losing their tax-exempt status if the preacher endorsed a candidate in a sermon.

It’s time for that to change, most Protestant pastors say in a new survey from Nashville-based LifeWay Research.

More than 7 in 10 say Congress should bar the IRS from punishing a church for sermon content. And 9 in 10 say their sermons should be free from government oversight.

“Most pastors believe the pulpit should be off-limits to the government,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research. [Read more…]

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Filed Under: Featured, News, SBC Tagged With: LifeWay, money, pastors, politics

LIFEWAY, GAINES PARTNER TO CREATE PRAYER RESOURCE

September 13, 2017

LifeWay News Office

NASHVILLE (BP) — LifeWay Christian Resources has partnered with Southern Baptist Convention president Steve Gaines to create a six-session Bible study, Pray Like This: Living the Lord’s Prayer, scheduled for release Oct. 1.

This Bible study is designed to bring a deep understanding of the text, theology and application of the Lord’s Prayer. It is a follow-up to the SBC’s 2017 annual meeting, themed “Pray! For Such a Time as This.”

“Nothing is more vital to the advancement of the Gospel than rallying God’s people to pray,” said Gaines, who served as general editor of the study. “Prayer changes everything. When we pray, God does things that He would not have done had we not prayed. When God’s people agree in prayer … there is spiritual synergy. The power of our prayers multiplies exponentially.” [Read more…]

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Filed Under: News, SBC Tagged With: LifeWay, Steve Gaines

PASTORS’ SPOUSES EXPERIENCE MIXED BLESSINGS

September 12, 2017

By Bob Smietana
LifeWay Research

NASHVILLE, Tenn.— Being married to a pastor means a life filled with joy, purpose and a lot of headaches.

Most pastors’ spouses feel a call to ministry and enjoy their roles inside and outside their church.

Many also have few friends, think they yell at their kids too much, and worry about money.

Those are among the findings of a new LifeWay Research study about the lives of Protestant pastors’ spouses. The representative study of 720 spouses found their lives are complicated, filled with blessing and stresses, said Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research. [Read more…]

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Filed Under: News, SBC Tagged With: LifeWay, marriage, pastors

NEW RESEARCH: MOST AMERICANS THINK THEY ARE A SINNER

August 16, 2017

By Bob Smietana
Lifeway Research

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — America is full of sinners—and most of them want to mend their ways.

Two-thirds of Americans (67 percent) say they are sinners, according to a new study from Nashville-based LifeWay Research. Most people aren’t too happy about it—only 5 percent say they’re fine with being sinners.

As America becomes more secular, the idea of sin still rings true, said Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research.

“Almost nobody wants to be a sinner,” he said. [Read more…]

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Filed Under: Culture, Featured, News, SBC Tagged With: data and statistics, LifeWay

GOOD DEEDS GO UNNOTICED

July 25, 2017

Lifeway news office

NASHVILLE — Jesus warned his followers to keep their good deeds secret, warning them not to seek attention when doing the right thing.

American Christians seem to be following that advice.

According to a new study from Nashville-based LifeWay Research, few Americans are aware of many efforts by local Christians or churches to serve their neighbors.

LifeWay Research’s survey of 1,000 Americans looked at 13 service programs often run by churches — from tutoring kids to teaching job skills. [Read more…]

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EUGENE PETERSON CLARIFIES COMMENTS ON HOMOSEXUALITY

July 14, 2017

By David Roach
Baptist Press

(updated)

Eugene Peterson
-Photo from Wikimedia Commons.

NASHVILLE (BP) — Author Eugene Peterson, known for “The Message” paraphrase of Scripture, has clarified his beliefs about homosexuality, stating he affirms “a biblical view of marriage” and would not perform a same-sex wedding.

In a July 13 statement released by his agent Rick Christian, Peterson said he “would like to retract” a statement published the previous day by Religion News Service that he would perform a same-sex wedding if asked to do so. In an interview with RNS, Peterson also appeared to indicate he did not regard homosexual acts as inherently sinful. [Read more…]

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Filed Under: News, SBC Tagged With: homosexuality, LifeWay, marriage

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