Issues@Hand

AFA initiatives, Christian activism, news briefs

December 2014 – According to a new survey by Lifeway Research, Americans often pray for friends, family and even enemies. However, they rarely give praise to God for answering prayers and seldom lift up politicians, nonbelievers or sports teams.

The online survey asked 1,137 Americans about their prayer lives, and 48% of responders said they pray daily, with 31% praying multiple times a day. Within those prayers, 41% follow the command to pray for people who have mistreated them, but only one in five prays for people of other faiths or no faith. 

Of those who pray, only 25% believe all their prayers are answered, 37% believe some are answered, 3% said none of their prayers are answered and 14% don’t know.

Ed Stetzer, executive director of LifeWay Research, said, “Most people pray when they need the red phone for help. But their prayer life isn’t a habit rooted in a relationship with God.”

lifewayresearch.com, 10/1/14