Baptist & Reflector

Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835

ARE WEDNESDAY CHURCH SERVICES STILL RELEVANT?

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org

Baptist Press recently ran an article from LifeWay Research on whether or not Protestant churches still hold Wednesday night services.

And, they do. In fact, the number is a lot higher than I imagined — nine out of 10 Protestant pastors say their church has some type of service on Wednesday nights, according to the survey. Only 10 percent have no regular events on Wednesday.

Given the fact that some churches no longer have Sunday night services, I am a bit surprised (pleasantly) by the large number of churches that open their doors on Wednesday night. [Read more…]

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CHURCHGOERS FAIL TO SERVE

LifeWay News Office

NASHVILLE — The 2019 Discipleship Pathway Assessment study from Nashville-based LifeWay Research found few Protestant churchgoers say they strongly agree they are personally taking actions that indicate a life of service to God and others.

Fifteen percent of Protestant churchgoers strongly agree they intentionally give up certain purchases so they can use that money for others. Including those who somewhat agree, 41 percent say they practice that type of intentional generosity.

Among 18- to 34-year-olds attending a Protestant church once a month or more, 22 percent strongly agree they give up purchases to use that money for others.

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MOST PASTORS SEE SPORTS GAMBLING AS IMMORAL, OPPOSE ITS LEGALIZATION

By Aaron Earls
LifeWay Christian Resources

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Americans are expected to wager more than $8 billion on the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, but don’t bet on many pastors joining in.

A new study from Nashville-based LifeWay Research found most pastors believe it is morally wrong to bet on sports, while few agree it should be legalized nationwide. [Read more…]

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CAN EVANGELISM BE EASY?

Whether it’s one-on-one or event-driven, sharing good news should be simple

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org

FRANKLIN — Jesus kept evangelism simple. Just read Matthew 28:19-20.

But apparently, a new generation is not getting the message of the Great Commission as found in Scripture.

A Barna survey, “Reviving Evangelism,” released in early February, reveals that Christian Millennials (those born between 1981 and 1996) are “conflicted” when it comes to evangelism with almost half of them believing it is wrong to share their faith. [Read more…]

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AMERICANS DIFFER ON HISTORIC CHRISTIAN VIEWS

By Carol Pipes
LifeWay Christian Resources

NASHVILLE — Six in 10 Americans say religious belief is a matter of personal opinion. For 7 in 10 Americans, such religious beliefs include one true God existing in three persons — Father, Son and Holy Spirit. But an increasing majority of Americans deny Jesus has always existed and many say the Holy Spirit is a force rather than a personal being.

Those are among the findings of a new study of American views on Christian theology from Nashville-based LifeWay Research.

“When the majority of Americans believe religious belief is more personal opinion than objective truth, then we expect to see contradictory beliefs as well as beliefs that change over time,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research.

The survey of 3,000 Americans was sponsored by Orlando-based Ligonier Ministries. Titled the “2018 State of Theology Study,” it is the third in a series of surveys examining Americans’ theological beliefs. Previous surveys were conducted in 2016 and 2014. [Read more…]

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A CALL TO REVITALIZE EVANGELISM IN THE SBC

By David Leavell
President, Tennessee Baptist Convention
& Alan Quigley
Mobilization Team Leader, Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma

Last year, the North American Mission Board (NAMB) publicly announced that 29 percent of Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) churches reported no baptisms, and 47 percent reported two or less.  In the SBC 2017 Book of Reports, NAMB reported that baptisms had fallen to 295,000 in 2016, which is the first time the convention reported less than 300,000 baptisms since the late 1940s.  [Read more…]

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ECONOMY HELPS BOOST CHURCH OFFERINGS

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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MUSLIMS ON PACE TO OUTNUMBER JEWS IN THE U.S.

Baptist Press

Muslims will likely surpass Jews as the second largest religious group behind Christians in the U.S. by 2040, the Pew Research Center reported.
–Baptist Press file photo

WASHINGTON — Muslims will likely surpass Jews as the second largest religious group behind Christians in the U.S. by 2040, elevated by a high birth rate and immigration, the Pew Research Center said in its latest analysis.

The 3.45 million Muslims here will more than double to 8.1 million by 2050, surpassing the number of Jews along the way, Pew estimated Jan. 3. But the research center did not give a Muslim nor Jewish numerical population estimate for 2040. [Read more…]

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PEW: CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS, BELIEFS LESS RELIGIOUS

By Diana Chandler
Baptist Press

WASHINGTON (BP) — Most Americans believe society is increasingly abandoning the religious aspects of Christmas, according to new Pew Research Center findings, but most Americans are not troubled by the trend.

Only 32 percent of Americans find the trend troubling, Pew found in the study released Dec. 12. While 56 percent of U.S. adults identified such a trend, a quarter of that group said the trend doesn’t bother them. [Read more…]

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NEW RESEARCH: MOST AMERICANS THINK THEY ARE A SINNER

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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