Pastors who say each statement about their marriage is very true
Percent of pastors saying it is very true, 2026 (in percent)
Key finding
Highest: Spouse is my best friend (76%). Lowest: I communicate with spouse in an open, healthy manner (52%).
- Spouse is my best friend: 76%
- Spouse understands my struggles: 53%
- I communicate with spouse in an open, healthy manner: 52%
Source: Barna Group, The Friendship Gap in Pastoral Life · Article published 2026-01-13.
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Questions about this statistic
What does this statistic show?
Highest: Spouse is my best friend (76%). Lowest: I communicate with spouse in an open, healthy manner (52%). Spouse is my best friend: 76%. Spouse understands my struggles: 53%. I communicate with spouse in an open, healthy manner: 52%.
Who published this data?
Barna Group, 2026. Source: Barna Group, The Friendship Gap in Pastoral Life (https://www.barna.com/trends/pastors-friendship-gap/).
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More Families & Marriage statistics
- Churchgoing parents who feel supported by their church American Bible Society, 2026
- Other parenting challenges reported by American parents American Bible Society, 2026
- Parents who say their kids like going to church American Bible Society, 2026
- How much teens' families talk about religion at home Springtide Research Institute, 2025
- Living below the poverty line by family type Lifeway Research, 2025
- Marital status of pastors Lifeway Research, 2025
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.