When it comes to social and political issues, it seems many congregants want their faith leaders to dive right in and help them understand cultural phenomena.
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According to Lifeway Research, “Four in [five] U.S. Protestant churchgoers (80%) believe a pastor must address current issues to be doing their job.”
Just 16% disagree this is the case, with an additional 4% expressing uncertainty.
Plus, the vast majority of these parishioners — 91% — have total trust in the pastor of their church, which likely speaks to the reason they want to hear a preacher discuss current issues.
This isn’t about politics, though, as past polls show low percentages (35%) of Christians attending church at least monthly believing it’s appropriate to endorse political candidates during church services.
According to Lifeway Research Executive Director Scott McConnell, the thirst to hear pastors address cultural issues likely has to do with comprehending and understanding what’s unfolding in the world around us and how it comports with biblical truth.
“As American culture increasingly includes fewer overtly Christian elements and more non-Christian ideas, churchgoers are hungry to know what the Bible says about life’s issues,” McConnell said.
So, how frequently does this actually unfold? As it turns out, the majority of churchgoers (62%) said their pastor addresses cultural issues in sermons almost weekly, with an additional 23% noting it’s at least one time a month. Just 6% said it “rarely happens.”
McConnell said people are clearly noticing how pastors will explain the Bible’s context while also applying its “principles to issues and situations today,” which helps them navigate the world.
What’s perhaps most interesting is that younger churchgoers — those under the age of 50 — are more likely to hear contemporary topics in sermons each week.
“Those aged 18-34 (34%) and 35-49 (41%) are more likely than those 50-64 (25%) and 65 and older (17%) to say their pastor’s sermons address current issues every week,” Lifeway Research noted.
And those in churches with 500 or more people who attend were the most likely to report their pastors rarely address such issues, with 13% stating as much.
The data was collected Sept. 19-29, 2023, among 1,008 American Protestants. Read more here.
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