Issues@Hand

AFA initiatives, Christian activism, news briefs

February 2016 – While most pastors offer many marriage resources at their churches, churchgoers are markedly unaware of what help is available from their church, a 2015 study from LifeWay Research found. Those who have divorced are even less aware of how their churches help marriages. For example, 87% of pastors say marital counseling is provided by the church, but only 62% of happily married and 45% of divorced churchgoers say their church does marriage counseling.

“We see a 20%, 30%, sometimes 40% drop in numbers [comparing pastors’ statements to churchgoers’],” said Scott McConnell, LifeWay Research vice president. “Either pastors are overstating what they’re doing or not everybody is noticing what their church is doing [and] don’t even know help exists.”

Additionally, 94% of pastors say it is safe to talk about marital difficulties at church, but 20% fewer churchgoers feel the same. Only 48% of divorced couples discussed their marriage problems with the lead pastor. Among those who have divorced, 20% dropped out of church completely, and 35% say at least one child no longer attends.

onenewsnow.com, 11/6/15; lifewayresearch.com, 10/29/15