Ed Stetzer and team recently released one of the largest surveys on Americans’ receptivity to different methods of church invitations. Conducted last December, the study included a survey of over 15,000 adults. It should not come as a surprise, but the best way to reach people is through friends, family, and neighbors: Personal invitations are generally well received. It is yet another example of statistics screaming for us to be bold in sharing our faith and inviting others to church. This Read more [...]

Scott McConnell from the LifeWay Research team co-authored the recently published book, The Parent Adventure. It reveals how the church can help moms and dads break the cycle of destructive parenting practices by focusing on the authority of God’s Word. The book includes a national survey of 1,200 adults with children under 18 living at home. This data blurb from the research caught my attention: The most common definitions of successful parenting include children having good values (25 percent), Read more [...]

The latest update from LifeWay Research contains one of the more encouraging stats I’ve seen this year. The heading of the release reads “Nearly all Americans would attend a friend's baptism…if invited.” The report included this statistic: 87 percent of Americans agree with the statement, "If invited, I would attend the baptism of a friend or a friend's child (even if I didn't attend that particular church)." The key words in this phrase are “if invited.” One of the great tragedies in Read more [...]

The release of the American Religious Identification Survey has caused a flood of media and blog activity. Researchers at the Trinity College in Hartford, CT surveyed more than 54,461 people between February and November 2008. They found that the percentage of Americans identifying themselves as Christians has dropped from 86 percent in 1990 to 76 percent today. The report expounded upon this sharp decline: Ninety percent of the decline comes from the non-Catholic segment of the Christian population, Read more [...]

As many of you may know, Pastor Fred Winters of First Baptist Church Maryville, IL, was shot to death during the 8:15AM service while he was preaching. My father, Thom S. Rainer, president and CEO of LifeWay, has asked to utilize my blog to release a statement he wrote earlier today about his friend and former student. Our prayers are with the family and church during this tragic time. A few moments ago I received the tragic news that Fred Winters, senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Maryville, Read more [...]