Pastors, churches still dealing with COVID-19 stress
By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist & Reflector
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org
FRANKLIN — As the second anniversary of the introduction of COVID-19 to the world approaches, Tennessee Baptist pastors and churches are still dealing with the stresses caused by the pandemic.
According to recent findings from Lifeway Research, while more folks are once again attending church, pre-pandemic attendance levels have stalled.
More than eight in 10 churches have an attendance of at least half of what it was prior to the pandemic. The average U.S. Protestant church reports attendance at 74 percent of what it was prior to COVID-19, which means one in four pre-pandemic churchgoers are still missing from in-person worship services, according to the article.
“People’s return to in-person worship services has stalled,” said Scott McConnell, director of Lifeway Research “There has been virtually no change in average attendance since August 2021. Some of this is the direct impact of COVID with people getting sick, needing to quarantine or being at high risk. But this also likely includes healthy individuals choosing to not return.” [Read more…]