Aaron Earls

Pastors and other leaders often feel responsible for providing countless benefits to those under their care. But what is it people actually need from those leading them?

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Anecdotes often portray parents and student ministry leaders at odds, but both groups share a desire to see the next generation grow spiritually. Each also believes they have a positive, healthy relationship with the other.

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — Half of U.S. Protestant pastors say their churches are growing, but some warning signs remain about their congregational future.

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — The average Southern Baptist church calls the South home, but the only region of the country where those congregations are growing is the Northeast. Churches are baptizing more people, but most churches remain small and fewer attendees are involved in small groups.

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — Lent may be on the calendar, but it’s not on the radar of most Americans. A traditional 40-day window of fasting before Easter, Lent is observed by around a quarter of U.S. adults, according to a Lifeway Research study. Three in 4 Americans (74%) say they do not typically observe Lent, while 26% participate.

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — As pastors speak and pray with their congregations, they say they’re also keeping persecuted Christians around the world in mind. More than 9 in 10 U.S. Protestant pastors (93%) say their church has engaged in at least one of six ways to bring attention to Christians suffering persecution within the past year, according to a Lifeway Research study.

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Many U.S. evangelicals may view early immigration and refugee maneuvers by President Donald Trump’s administration as a mixed bag.

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — In their first meeting in 2025, Lifeway Christian Resources trustees heard a financial update and learned how the organization is partnering with state conventions and meeting some of the most pressing needs of local churches.

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — Many churchgoers say their church connects financial blessings with personal generosity, but most pastors see those ideas as bankrupt.

Theological truths remain unchanged regardless of the date on the calendar, as do many ministry realities. The context surrounding Christians and churches, however, is constantly changing.