Effect of the current economy on churches, as seen by pastors
Percent of Protestant pastors, 2026 (in percent)
Key finding
Highest: Negatively impacting their church (49%). Lowest: Positive factor for their congregation (9%).
- Negatively impacting their church: 49%
- No economic impact: 41%
- Positive factor for their congregation: 9%
Source: Lifeway Research, 12 Ministry Trends for 2026 · Article published 2026-01-15.
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Questions about this statistic
What does this statistic show?
Highest: Negatively impacting their church (49%). Lowest: Positive factor for their congregation (9%). Negatively impacting their church: 49%. No economic impact: 41%. Positive factor for their congregation: 9%.
Who published this data?
Lifeway Research, 2026. Source: Lifeway Research, 12 Ministry Trends for 2026 (https://research.lifeway.com/2026/01/15/12-ministry-trends-for-2026/).
Where can I get the full data and a citation?
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About this data
Leader Insights collects statistics about U.S. churches from published research by organizations such as Lifeway Research, Barna Group, Springtide, the American Bible Society and PRRI. Every number is checked against the wording of the original source before it is published, and each statistic links back to the study it came from. Figures are reproduced from the publishers named above; see the source for full methodology.