By Aaron Earls BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — Jesus told His disciples to make disciples, but for many churches, discipleship ranks toward the bottom of their priorities. The third and final part of Lifeway Research’s State of Discipleship study examining the experiences and perspectives of U.S. Protestant pastors finds that other church functions often receive more attention. … [Read more...]
Five Lifeway book covers win ECPA awards
By Jill Waggoner BRENTWOOD, Tenn.-- The Evangelical Christian Press Association (ECPA) honored five releases from Holman Bibles and B&H Publishing Group, imprints of Lifeway Christian Resources, as winners in the 2025 Top Shelf Book Cover Awards. “These awards honor the incredible talent and dedication of our design and editorial teams,” said Andy McLean, publisher … [Read more...]
Lifeway’s NextGen conference equips leaders for ministry amid ever-changing culture
By Marissa Postell Sullivan BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – At ETCH (Equipping the Church and Home), Lifeway’s NextGen team equipped ministry leaders to respond to the speed of culture with wisdom, intentionality and urgency. The annual NextGen ministry conference took place at Brentwood Baptist Church in Brentwood, Tennessee, Oct. 27-29. This year at ETCH, nearly 900 preschool, kids, … [Read more...]
Analysis reveals areas of decline, growth in SBC
By Aaron Earls BRENTWOOD, Tenn. —The average Southern Baptist church is likely an older, small Southern church. If you want to find a growing congregation, however, you might need to look for a new, larger church—or even one in the Northeast. Recent Lifeway Research analysis of the 2024 Annual Church Profile reveals a membership decline among existing Southern Baptist … [Read more...]
Rural church pastors face obstacles with optimism, according to Lifeway Research
By Aaron Earls BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — Life in rural America has its charms and challenges. Those who pastor in small towns across the United States recognize the trials inherent to those areas but believe God is working in their congregations and communities. A Lifeway Research study of pastors in small towns and rural areas identified unique features of ministry in those … [Read more...]
