Archive

Excerpt: A Rapid Decline in Pastoral Security

New Barna data shows that pastors' confidence and satisfaction in their vocation has decreased significantly in the past few years, and two in five (41%) say they've considered quitting ministry in the last 12 months. What can be done to help pastors in crisis? This article, an excerpt from the first release in Barna's new Resilient Pastor series—part of the larger Resilient Pastor initiative—offers new data on pastoral security.

Doubt & Faith: Top Reasons People Question Christianity

Recent data show a majority in America is open to tapping more deeply into their spiritual life—yet this curiosity may naturally be accompanied by tough questions. Are churches making space for this reality? Today’s article, an excerpt from “What Do We Do with Doubt?”—the first release in Barna’s Spiritually Open study, available exclusively on Barna Access Plus—digs into the doubts that keep people away from the Christian Church.

How the Church Can Fuel Black Gen Z's Desire for Justice

New data on American Gen Z show that, when it comes to addressing injustices in society, racial injustice is a shared top concern among both teens (32%) and young adults (35%). When looking at the data segmented by race, Black, Hispanic and Asian Gen Z all clearly identify racial injustice as their top concern. With this in mind, Barna Group returned to data from our recent project The Open Generation: United States in an effort to see how racial or ethnic identity might connect to how young people in the U.S. see issues of injustice. As we observe Black History Month, this article also centers the responses of Black teens and young adults, highlighting their perceptions of injustices in society today, how they hope to address them and what might help along the way.

44% of U.S. Adults Are Digital Donors—Here’s What Defines Them

What makes a digital donor? Data from Meet the Digital Donor, the fourth volume in Barna’s The State of Generosity series, show nearly half of Americans (44%) prefer digital forms of giving. In this article, we’ll share two key observations about digital donors that may prove helpful for organizations, nonprofits and churches as they look toward the future of giving.

Three Key Motivations for High-Capacity Givers

What drives high earners to be generous with their finances? One goal of Barna’s State of Generosity series—created in partnership with Gloo and multiple sponsor organizations—is to better understand adults who have great potential for charitable financial giving. As a season of year-end giving approaches, this article sheds light on key themes and motivations found among this benevolent group.

Does a Divided Public Look to Pastors for Guidance?

Who do Americans believe is responsible for creating meaningful change in our country? Recent Barna data offer insight into who Americans look to in these times of tension and how many Americans trust pastors to help them navigate sensitive conversations.

What Is a Tithe? New Data on Perceptions of the 10 Percent

What exactly are Christians’ prevailing views on matters of stewardship and generosity? And how is the local church shaping them? While pastors today note the tithe as being central both to their church’s funding and its practice of generosity, new data uncovered in Revisiting the Tithe and Offering—the latest release in The State of Generosity series, produced in partnership with Generis and Gloo—suggests a traditional tithe is not widely understood or practiced today.

ChurchPulse Weekly Conversations: Stephen Chandler on Finding Rest & Redefining Success

ChurchPulse Weekly Conversations: Lisa Bevere on Discipleship Patterns

For Pastors Who Want to Quit, Self-Care & Soul-Care Slip

Barna data collected in October of 2021 and March of 2022 show that U.S. senior pastors are increasingly more likely to have considered leaving full-time ministry in the past year. What are some of the factors behind this uptick? The Barna research offers a glimpse into what’s causing pastoral burnout—and perhaps influencing their decisions to leave or stay. Here, we'll explore pastors’ prioritization of self-care and spiritual formation during their time in ministry.

Pastors Share Confidence, Struggles & Concerns Around Preaching

Pastors serve their congregations and communities in a variety of ways, but perhaps the most notable and recognizable way—and the part of the job pastors tell Barna they love the most—is through the function of preaching. This article explores pastors’ confidence and concerns around preaching, while also offering a glimpse into a new channel on Barna Access Plus that was created to help pastors strengthen their preaching skills.

ChurchPulse Weekly Conversations: John Eldredge on Replenishing Reserves

Children’s Ministry Is Crucial, But Its Impact Is Hard to Measure

Kids’ ministry is a powerful opportunity to form lasting faith in the lives of young people. Yet new data from Children’s Ministry in a New Reality, a Barna report produced in partnership with Awana, show the majority of children’s ministry leaders feels this ministry is often forgotten by their church. This article looks at key findings from this new study, exploring the importance that parents, kids’ ministry leaders and other congregants place on children's ministry, as well as how difficult it can be to measure the impact of this necessary ministry.

ChurchPulse Weekly Conversations: Ed Stetzer on Church Engagement

Ed Stetzer—author, speaker and professor—joins Carey Nieuwhof to discuss shifting trends in church attendance throughout the pandemic, engaging congregations in their local church’s mission and finding new ways to measure church success.

Pastors Share Top Reasons They’ve Considered Quitting Ministry in the Past Year

The number of pastors who have given serious consideration to quitting full-time ministry has risen dramatically over the past year. Why are pastors so burned out? New data highlight the main reasons two in five pastors have thought about leaving ministry—as well as some reasons pastors have determined to stay.

Pastors See Missions as a Mandate, But Christians Aren't So Sure

The Great Disconnect: Reclaiming the Heart of the Great Commission in Your Church, Barna’s newest study conducted in partnership with Mission India, reveals misconceptions and inconsistencies in how U.S. churches perceive and approach missionary work. This article zooms in on Christians' and pastors' beliefs about who bears responsibility for the Great Commission and how it should be carried out.

ChurchPulse Weekly Conversations: Andy Stanley on Church Unity

ChurchPulse Weekly Conversations: Brad & Leah Leach on Honoring Volunteers