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Hobby Lobby — a Christian-owned retailer — is giving away half a million copies of investigative journalist and author Lee Strobel’s book defending the biblical story of Jesus’ birth.
Strobel appeared on the latest episode of CBN’s “Faith in Culture,” where he announced the craft store was giving away 500,000 copies of “The Case for Christmas,” a gesture he described as “wonderful.”
Be informed, not misled.
Strobel’s book — and Hobby Lobby’s decision to give thousands of copies away — comes at a time when Americans are more open to spiritual, biblical Truth.
These seven Lifeway Research stats reveal what Americans and churchgoers believe and are planning to do this Christmas.
While this research was conducted primarily for pastors, it may give you ideas on how you can give. Or how you may share the meaning of Christmas with someone who does not know Christ personally.
You may also want to share this with your pastor.
1. 91% of Americans celebrate Christmas
Christmas is accepted and celebrated across the United States by a variety of people, according to Lifeway Research. Catholics (99%) and Protestants (97%) are most likely to recognize the holiday, but most religiously unaffiliated (82%) and Americans of other religions (74%) celebrate on December 25 as well.
2. 47% of Americans typically attend church during the Christmas season
The U.S. is no longer in a place where everyone goes to church this time of year, much less at any other time. Still, Lifeway Research found that half of Americans are actively looking for a church right now.
Yes, churchgoing Christians are the most likely to say this is part of their holiday habits (95%), but other people may want to show up to your services as well. One in 5 religiously unaffiliated Americans (21%) say Christmastime is church time for them.
Even those who don’t normally attend are likely just waiting for an invitation. Most (56%) say it’s likely they would show up to church this time of the year if someone they knew invited them, including 40% of the religiously unaffiliated.
3. 81% of pastors say one of their most attended worship services happens during the Christmas season
U.S. Protestant pastors are most likely to say Easter is one of their high-attendance Sundays. Nine in 10 (90%) say it is in their top three, including 52% who name it as the highest attendance day, according to Lifeway Research.
But 4 in 5 say Christmas is one of their attendance highs, including 28% who cite it as their highest-attended service. Christmas is far above Mother’s Day, the third most attended service among Protestant churches.
Christmas is also by far the favorite holiday of Protestant churchgoers (63%).
4. On average, pastors plan four events or activities at their church to help churchgoers celebrate Christmas
With these likely increased crowds, most pastors say their church plans to offer multiple Christmas events. Lifeway Research found pastors are most likely to plan a Christmas Eve service (81%). Most also offer a Christmas service project (66%) and a Christmas event or party for children or youth (65%).
Churchgoers say they enjoy going to an average of four church-led Christmas events from a list of potential events. Most say they greatly enjoy listening to a choir singing Christmas songs or a concert (60%), listening to congregational singing of Christmas songs (59%), participating in singing Christmas songs (57%), seeing children singing or in a drama for Christmas (57%), or participating in a Christmas service project (52%).
5. 48% say a Christmas Eve service is their church’s largest event during the holiday season
Pastors may plan Christmas Eve services because attendance is higher.
Few pastors cite services in the first week of December or earlier (6%) or in the second week (10%) as their most popular, according to Lifeway Research.
More highlights the third week of the month as hosting their highest attendance during the season (26%), but Christmas Eve (48%) draws the largest crowds for most churches. Fewer say Christmas Day (7%) or the first week of January (5%).
6. 53% of Americans believe they could retell the biblical Christmas story
Most Americans say they are generally familiar with the story of Jesus’s birth told in the Bible, but they may be a bit fuzzy on the details, Lifeway Research found.
More than 1 in 5 (22%) believe they could tell it accurately from memory, while another 31% say they could tell the story but may miss some points or get others wrong. A quarter (25%) say they could provide a quick overview, and 17% say they couldn’t.
The religiously unaffiliated are the least confident in their recollection of the story. Only 1 in 10 (10%) believe they could retell the whole Christmas story from the Bible, fewer than any other religious demographic.
7. 72% of Americans say Christmas celebrates a historical event
They might not know the story by heart or come to church to celebrate it, but almost 3 in 4 Americans say the Jesus Christians believe in was born in Bethlehem more than 2,000 years ago, according to Lifeway Research.
The religiously unaffiliated are the least likely to agree, but a third still believe the Christmas story from the Bible is accurate.
Be Informed. Be Discerning. Be Vigilant. Be Engaged. Be Joyful. Be Prayerful. Be Blessed.
