Pastors in American churches overwhelmingly demonstrate that the needs of persecuted churches are important to local congregations.
Lifeway Research conducted telephone surveys of 1,003 Protestant pastors from August 8th to September 3rd, 2024 to measure opinions. The results of the survey were published today (February 18th).
Nine out of 10 respondents (93%) said their churches were engaged in one or more of six ways to support those who were persecuted within the past year. Only about 7% showed no specific support.
“The United States has extensive freedom for people to practice their faith without fear of retaliation,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “Even though we are separated from persecution, pastors and churches do not ignore the persecution Christians experience all over the world.”
Prayer is an important way for the church to support Christians in distress, encouraging their congregations to pray for them, with 86% of pastors encouraging them to pray for them.
“Persecuted Christians may be difficult to reach, but the church is bringing demands to God on their behalf,” McConnell said.
Evangelical pastors are more likely to include prayer as a response to persecution than mainline pastors (92% vs. 80%). Pastors in the Southern United States are most likely to lead churches with general prayers (89%) and specific prayers (88%) during worship, while pastors in the northeast encourage prayers for those who are persecuted is least likely (88%) or on service (78%).
The topic of persecution is raised in 66% of sermons, with 31% of pastors distributing information about persecuted Christians. The survey found that 17% hosted solidarity events to raise awareness, while 16% showed videos on the topic during worship.
“The examples and stories of newly persecuted Christians around the world are readily accessible, and most pastors share this news in their sermons at least every year,” McConnell said. “Whether the pastor is preaching from Bible passages that include persecution, or what Christians promise to face persecution, global persecution today is linked to the teachings of the Bible today. ”
It is likely that the pastors of large churches mentioned persecution in their sermons. Church leaders with 100-248 members (75%) or 250 or more members (74%) are more likely to address the topic than employees with fewer than 50 members (59%) It will become. The smallest church pastors were also least likely to have shown the video (10%).
Pastors of Pentecostal (82%), Baptists (74%), non-denominational (72%), and restorative movements (70%) were more likely than pastors of Lutheran (56%) and Presbyterian/Reform (47%) Persecution in a contemporary context during the preaching that is likely to have been referred to globally.
Elderly pastors age 65 or older are more likely to distribute information about subjects (37%) or retain related events (23%).
“The pastors say they are praying for persecuted Christians, but it’s not very common to remember them in other emphasis or events,” McConnell said.
The full report can be downloaded here.
