More Americans Tailoring Religion to Fit Their Needs

"Barna's new book on U.S. Christians, Futurecast, tracks changes from 1991 to 2011, in annual national surveys of 1,000 to 1,600 U.S. adults. All the major trend lines of religious belief and behavior he measured ran downward — except two. More people claim they have accepted Jesus as their savior and expect to go to heaven."

Millennials Increasingly Find Their Religion Online

"Young people are defining their own spiritual paths, says Rebecca Phillips, vice president of social networking for Beliefnet.com. 'Young people are not necessarily doing the same thing religion-wise that their parents did, and they're developing their own unique brands of spirituality,' she says. It seems to affirm a Lifeway Christian Resources study showing that 72 percent of Millennials, the generation between 18 and 30 years old, say they are more spiritual than religious. Fewer of them attend worship services, pray or read sacred scriptures."

92% Say There is a God and 83% Say God Answers Prayers

". . .92% say there is a God and 83% say this God answers prayers, according to a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll of 1,000 adults May 1-2. The margin of error is plus or minus 4 percentage points."

A Closer Look at "Lean" Church Staffs

"A new survey of U.S. churches suggests that 1 in 7 spends less than 35 percent of its annual budget on staffing costs. . ."

Study: U.S. Still a Church-Going Nation

". . .attendance at churches in the United States has declined only slightly in recent decades. Since the 1970s the number of days Americans of all denominations have gone to services has declined from about 28 to 23 or 24 days a year. But what has changed is the makeup of the congregations — particularly women, Southerners and Catholics."

Five Myths about Emerging Adult Faith

"The National Study of Youth and Religion provides us with a treasure trove of valuable information based on interviews with thousands of emerging American adults."

Research indicates Effect of Sunday School Attendance Lingers

"Consistent Sunday school attendance when we're young has direct bearing on church attendance as grown-ups. Researcher George Barna says more than 8 in 10 adults in the U.S. claim they had weekly religious education before age 12. Of those, 69 percent now attend religious programs weekly."

Barna Research on Americans and Easter

". . .most Americans consider Easter to be a religious holiday, but fewer identify the resurrection of Jesus as the underlying meaning. The study also explored the degree to which Americans are likely to invite an unchurched friend or family member to attend worship service on Easter weekend."

Research: Teenage Views and Behavior Regarding the Supernatural

"The report, called Ministry to Mosaics: Teens and the Supernatural;, is based upon three nationwide studies conducted among more than 4,000 teens by The Barna Group."

God Helps with Personal Decisions, Most Americans Say

"Most Americans believe God is involved in their everyday lives and concerned with their personal well-being, though the well-educated and higher earners are less likely than their counterparts to believe in such divine intervention, a new study suggests."

Barna Studies the Research, Offers a Year-in-Review Perspective

"Based on his company’s interviews with thousands of people during the year, researcher George Barna synthesized the findings across numerous studies and summarized four themes that emerged from his research regarding religion in 2009."

Long-Term Effect of Spiritual Activity among Children and Teens

"What is the connection between childhood faith and adult religious commitment? . . .A recent study conducted by the Barna Group provides new insights into this age-old question."