Ryan Burge — political scientist, pastor, statistician and author of a new book on the “nones” in American religious life — will be the guest on BNG’s next free webinar, scheduled for Monday, April 26, at 7 p.m. Eastern time…
Ryan Burge sifts the data to paint an evolving portrait of the ‘nones’
There was a time, not all that long ago, when no minister, denominational leader or seminary administrator ever heard of — or worried about — a “none.” That’s partly because there wasn’t yet a name for religiously unaffiliated Americans, partly…
Americans slowly returning to in-person church but many still cautious about Easter
Americans are cautiously returning to in-person religious services as vaccination rates rise and COVID-19 deaths decline, according to a survey conducted this month. But the Pew Research Center study also found that attendance at weekly services remains lower than pre-pandemic…
What does it mean to be a ‘good Christian’?
As a child, I learned that Christianity meant Jesus, that he was God, and that obedience was the Christian’s main duty. It made sense then, and it continues to make sense today. If we are passionate about something, that will…
Most churchgoers say they’ll return to in-person worship after COVID
The coronavirus outbreak has done little to weaken the devotion of more than 90% of American churchgoers who say they will return to in-person services in the wake of the pandemic, new research shows. In addition to anticipated church involvement,…
New study finds affirmation of Black church experience even as attendance declines
A growing number of African Americans say that understanding the Black experience requires an appreciation of the role of the church in Black lives, new research shows. But the same study also uncovered a drop in interest among Blacks in…
In-person worship dropped in January as more churches were directly affected by COVID
Concerns about spiking COVID-19 cases led to a rise in the number of U.S. churches canceling in-person gatherings in January, a new Lifeway Research study shows. Meanwhile, the new research offers some of the most detailed data yet about how…
Often, faith and work collide for African immigrants in the U.S.
In November 2016, when he set out on a trip to the United States from his country of Nigeria, Ferdinand Okeke took with him a Bible. It represented more than an item for him; it was an article of faith….
Hybrid church is probably here to stay, but some things don’t translate well to digital
If you’re wondering whether the pandemic and online church will have a lasting effect on how churches operate, new research from Barna indicates the answer is a definitive yes. While most churchgoing Americans long to be back in their physical…