In a time of isolation and unprecedented change, the well-being of pastors and their people has been at the forefront of Barna’s research.

Just before COVID-19 disruptions were felt, as part of Barna’s State of the Church project, our research team was investing in analyzing human flourishing through five different lenses: relationships, finances, health, vocation and spirituality. Together, with our technology partner Gloo, we’ve come up with new ways for pastors to connect with their congregations, offering assessments to measure what matters in the lives of the people they lead. In the past couple months, Barna and Gloo have pivoted to also serve church leaders by offering the ChurchPulse Weekly Crisis Toolkit which features simple surveys that pastors can send out to community leaders and congregants to check in with their people during a time of social distancing.

We now find ourselves equipped with extensive data on what it has looked like as American churches have weathered the pandemic, and in this article, we’ll take a look at some trends that have emerged from these surveys. These research findings and many more will be discussed even further at Barna’s webcast on May 20 at 1pm ET. Caring for Souls in a New Reality is a free online event for church leaders and their teams to join and learn more about the current State of the Church as we navigate COVID-19 and beyond. Register now to save your spot for the webcast.

1. Despite Disruptions, Leaders Are Doing Well and (Mostly) Feel Equipped to Help People As COVID-19 has impacted the daily routines and roles of pastors in many ways, are leaders finding time for their own spiritual development? Fifty-one percent report it has been easy (23% very, 28% somewhat), while another 49 percent have found it difficult (10% very, 39% somewhat) to prioritize this time.