Recent Lifeway Research found few Canadian churchgoers invest time reading or studying the Scriptures.
Major findings show:
- 53 percent of Canadian churchgoers rarely or never study the Bible.
- 34 percent say they rarely or never read the Bible.
- 11 percent read the Bible daily.
- 27 percent read the Bible at least a few times a week or once a month.
- 3 percent say they do in-depth Bible study on a daily basis.
“You simply won’t grow if you don’t know God and spend time in God’s Word,” said Ed Stetzer, president of the Nashville-based Christian polling firm. “Bible engagement has an impact in just about every area of spiritual growth.”
The Transformational Discipleship survey also found that when six other activities are present individuals have higher levels of Bible engagement:
- Confess wrongdoings to God and ask forgiveness.
- Believe in Jesus Christ as the only way to heaven.
- Make a decision to obey or follow God, knowing that it might be costly.
- Pray for people they know are not professing Christians.
- Read a book about increasing their spiritual growth.
- Have a one-on-one mentoring relationship with a spiritually mature Christian.
This is the first in a series of research findings about the spiritual assessment of Canada’s churchgoers.
Lifeway Research used the study’s data (as well as the findings from the US study) to develop a questionnaire for believers, called the Transformational Discipleship Assessment (TDA). This online evaluation delivers both individual and group reports on spiritual maturity based on eight factors of biblical discipleship. The TDA also provides practical suggestions for continued spiritual development. For more information about the TDA, visit TDA.LifeWay.com.
