Want to feel encouraged, inspired, forgiven, but not sure how? Attending church might be the answer.
Barna Research Group’s 2021 State of the Church survey found that most churchgoers experience encouragement, inspiration and forgiveness after worship.
Among both practicing Christians and churchgoing U.S. adults, data show that for most, attending church prompts positive feelings. More than 4 in 5 practicing Christians (82%) and roughly two-thirds of churchgoers (67%) — U.S. adults who have been to church in the past six months — say they leave worship services feeling encouraged at least “most of the time.”
Another three-quarters of practicing Christians (78%) and 2 in 3 churched adults (65%) agree that they feel inspired “most of the time,” or more often, after participating in a worship service.
A similar percentage (77% practicing Christians, 65% churched adults) says they feel forgiven at least “most of the time” following church attendance.
Learning new things
Additionally, the survey notes that “roughly 7 in 10 practicing Christians (71%) and 3 in 5 churchgoers (59%) affirm that, ‘most of the time,’ they leave worship feeling as if they’ve learned something new.”
The majority of both practicing Christians (77%) and churched adults (62%) say they feel as if they have connected with God or personally experienced the presence of God “most of the time,” or more frequently, following a church service.
Although 42% of Christians and 34% of churched adults say they “almost never” leave church feeling guilty, roughly one-quarter of each group says this “sometimes” happens.
While most respondents indicate they “almost never” leave church feeling disappointed, a small percentage of respondents do express feelings of disappointment.
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