Church pastors in the U.S. have overwhelmingly indicated that the needs of the persecuted church are important to their local congregations.
Lifeway Research surveyed 1,003 Protestant pastors by phone from Aug. 8 to Sept. 3, 2024, to gauge their views. The findings were published today (Feb. 18).
More than 9 out of 10 respondents (93%) said their church had engaged in one or more of six methods to support the persecuted within the past year. Only about 7% did not indicate any specific support.
“The United States has extensive freedom for people to practice their faith without fear of retribution,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “Despite the distance from persecution, pastors and churches are not ignoring the persecution Christians are experiencing throughout the world.”
Prayer is a key way churches support suffering Christians, with 86% of pastors encouraging their congregations to pray for them.
“While persecuted Christians may be hard to reach, churches are bringing requests to God on their behalf,” McConnell said.
Evangelical pastors are more likely than mainline pastors to include prayer as a response to persecution (92% vs. 80%). Pastors in the South of the U.S. are the most likely to lead their churches in general prayer (89%) and specific prayers during worship services (88%), while pastors in the Northeast are comparably the least likely to encourage prayer for the persecuted (80%) or during a service (78%).
The topic of persecution has been raised in 66% of sermons, with 31% of pastors distributing information about persecuted Christians. The research also found that 17% have hosted a solidarity event to raise awareness, and 16% have shown a video about the topic during a worship service.
“Examples and stories of newly persecuted Christians worldwide are readily accessible, and most pastors are sharing this news in sermons at least annually,” McConnell said. “Whether pastors are preaching from Bible passages that include persecution or those that promise Christians will face persecution, today’s global persecution is relevant to today’s biblical teaching.”
Pastors of larger churches are more likely to have mentioned persecution in sermons. Leaders of churches with 100 to 248 members (75%) or 250-plus members (74%) are more likely to address the topic than those with fewer than 50 members (59%). Pastors of the smallest churches are also the least likely to have shown a video (10%).
Pentecostal (82%), Baptist (74%), non-denominational (72%), and Restorationist movement (70%) pastors are more likely than Lutheran (56%) and Presbyterian/Reformed (47%) pastors to have mentioned global persecution in a modern context during a sermon.
Older pastors, aged 65 or more, are more likely to distribute information about the subject (37%) or hold a related event (23%).
“Pastors are quick to say they are praying for persecuted Christians, but remembering them with other emphases or events is much less common,” McConnell said.
The full report can be downloaded here.
