January-February 2019 – Compassion International and Barna Group partnered to produce The Good News About Global Poverty, an extensive research report based on data from over 1,000 interviews and surveys of adults. The report explores how U.S. Christians respond to poverty.
Released in April 2018, the 128-page report analyzes how demographics, faith, ideology, and emotions influence both giving and volunteering.
Roxanne Stone, Barna editor in chief, said, “Practicing Christians are the most engaged segment of the population when it comes to fighting poverty.”
Interestingly, the study discovered that U.S. adults who donate to help eradicate global poverty are also more generous in other areas. Survey respondents who claimed to be active in their faith were also more active in volunteering and giving, with more than 70% reporting they had helped provide food or other items for needy families. And one in three Christians reported volunteering weekly in some capacity to help those in need. The correlation between Christian compassion and tangible responses to expressed need is unmistakable.
