According to Lifeway Research’s State of Discipleship, U.S. Protestant churchgoers often struggle to grow in their own discipleship. The latest findings indicate they also frequently miss opportunities to make new disciples by not sharing their faith with others.
Sharing Christ is one of eight signposts that measure characteristics evident in believers who are progressing in spiritual maturity. It ranks last among all other signposts, with the average churchgoer scoring 54.8 out of 100.
“Evaluations of spiritual maturity should measure attitudes, beliefs, and actions found in Scripture. Measurement of Jesus’ great commission reveals much lower levels of churchgoer involvement than you would expect from His last command,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research.
Sharing faith
More than a quarter of churchgoers (27%) say they have not shared their faith story with someone in the past six months. The average churchgoer has done so twice.
Around 1 in 6 (17%) shared with someone once in six months, while almost 1 in 7 (15%) spoke with others about their faith story two times. Fewer say they shared their faith story three (8%), four (6%), or five (6%) times in the last half of a year.
A few churchgoers have done so more than once a month, with 13% sharing with someone six to 10 times in the past six months and 8% engaging in that conversation 11 times or more.
“In a time when many Americans are more interested in hearing your truth rather than listening to the truth, Christians can share both by sharing how Jesus Christ saved them and its impact on their life,” said McConnell. “People with no context for faith in Jesus Christ need to hear why He matters to them before hearing how to become a Christian themselves.”
Intentional actions
Churchgoers may be hindered from sharing their faith with someone because they aren’t building relationships that enable evangelistic opportunities.
Around 7 in 10 U.S. Protestant churchgoers say they have non-Christian friends, according to a 2024 Lifeway Research study, but the latest findings show many churchgoers often aren’t looking for more of those relationships.
Fewer than half (48%) say they intentionally spend time building friendships with non-Christians for the purpose of sharing Christ with them, with just 17% strongly agreeing. One in 5 (21%) disagree and 3 in 10 aren’t sure (31%).
Similarly, 45% say they have developed significant relationships with people outside their church for the purpose of evangelism, including 18% who strongly agree. More than a quarter (27%) say that’s not something they’ve done. A similar percentage (28%) neither agree nor disagree.
“Churchgoers seeking to share truths about Jesus Christ in everyday conversations continue an important practice that can occur with both friends or strangers. The Holy Spirit can miraculously use such brief encounters to change a life. But many times the hearer tests this message by what they know of the person sharing,” said McConnell.
“When they don’t know the person, it is easy to dismiss. When they know the person, have spent time with them, and know they care then what the Christian is sharing is more meaningful. Investing in relationships is not an attempt to slow the Holy Spirit’s work down. It is persisting in loving someone when early conversations show no interest in your faith.”
Good intentions
Still, churchgoers say they want to share their faith with different people and are regularly praying for those opportunities.
Three in 5 U.S. Protestant churchgoers (60%) are eager to talk about Jesus with people who are not like them in terms of ethnicity, income or interests, with a quarter (26%) who strongly agree. Few (13%) disagree and 27% aren’t sure.
Additionally, 58% say they seek opportunities to speak out about Jesus Christ while interacting with others on a normal, daily basis, including 23% strongly agree. Around 1 in 6 (17%) disagree, while a quarter (25%) aren’t sure.
Four in 5 churchgoers say they pray for opportunities to tell others about Jesus Christ at least occasionally. A quarter (24%) do so every day, 25% say a few times a week, 15% once a week, 12% a few times a month and 5% once a month. One in 5 (19%) rarely or never ask God to give them those evangelistic moments.
Churchgoers today are slightly more likely than a few years ago to pray for those chances. In the 2019 Lifeway Research study, more than a quarter (27%) said they rarely or never prayed for opportunities to tell others about Jesus.
“While we typically think of prayer as an action that we do or complete, praying that God would provide opportunities to share the gospel is really about agreeing with God’s agenda and starting to do it,” said McConnell. “With only a quarter of churchgoers living sent each day, there is much opportunity for churchgoers to engage in God’s mission for them more often.”
For more information, view the complete report and visit LifewayResearch.com/Discipleship.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Aaron Earls and originally published by Lifeway.
