Study Explores ‘Jesus Without Church’ Paradox

Study explores ‘Jesus without Church’ paradox

Jesus exposed in the Blessed Sacrament. / Credit: Comunidade Javé Nissi via Pexels Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Nov 4, 2025 / 15:04 pm (CNA). The number of people who believe their faith does not depend on attending Mass has increased as more Cat... [...]

Study Explores ‘Jesus Without Church’ Paradox

Zolnierek The research revealed the percentage of Catholics who say they have a personal relationship with Jesus jumped from 61% in 2021 to 68% in 2025. As the study found a number of Catholics are questioning parish life, it also examined what people are seeking in a parish.

Pastors Say Their Church Does Worship Well, Discipleship Ranks Last

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. Additional discipleship research, focused on churchgoers, will release over the first half of 2026. Previous releas…

Study: Few pastors believe discipleship tops their churches’ efforts

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. Additional discipleship research, focused on churchgoers, will release over the first half of 2026. Previous releases have confirmed that pastors believe discipleship is a priority, but they aren’t actively evaluating their strategies to en…