The overwhelming majority of Americans say they find value in attending church, a new LifeWay Research study shows.

Two-thirds of Americans think attendance is admirable; only 11% consider church useless.

Even among nonreligious people, 80% believe church attendance is acceptable, and 43% label it admirable. Only 29% call it useless.

But despite their professed fondness for church, Americans are more likely to believe attendance is declining (55%) or the church is dying (42%) than growing (36%) or thriving (38%), according to the LifeWay survey of 1,000 Americans from Sept. 19-28 of last year.

“Americans have a much more optimistic view of the people and practice of attending church than they do of the health of the church," said Scott McConnell vice president of the Nashville-based LifeWay Research. “Church attendance is much like regular exercise and driving the speed limit. People do not live out everything they admire.”

Confirming McConnell’s assertion that Americans’ churchgoing is at odds with their behavior, even on Easter, traditionally the best-attended Sunday of the year, large segments of the population say they don't plan to attend, previous LifeWay research has found.

Their attitudes reflect the mixed trends of the past 50 years. While many mainline denominations have lost membership, some have grown. And while more people are Christian today than in 1970, Christians make up a smaller share of the burgeoning population, according to a study from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

Church Out of Date?

Faced with those trends, many churches have shifted toward contemporary worship styles and new outreach methods, although 27% of Americans still think church attendance is outdated, LifeWay research found. That belief is even more pronounced among the nonreligious (42%), Catholics (31%) and people 25 to 34 years old (34%) who are among the Millennial generation in which fewer claim religious affiliation or profess belief in God, according to the Pew Research Center.

Young adults, like most Americans, don’t see church attendance as an assumption in today's culture. While 54% of those over 65 describe churchgoing as an expectation, that viewpoint is in the minority for every other age group—a sign that those who attend are making a personal choice rather than responding to societal pressure.

That’s a positive finding, McConnell said. “I don't think evangelicals would want that to be the reason people go to church anyway.”

Women & Men On Churchgoing

Women have more positive attitudes than men about churchgoing, the LifeWay study found, with 69% of women and 63% of men viewing attendance as admirable. Only 9% of women consider church useless, while 14% of men hold that opinion.

Larger shares of women also believe in the health and vitality of the church. Forty percent of women say the church is growing, and 41% describe it as thriving. Among men, only 32% think it is growing, and 34% label it thriving.

LifeWay Research also found significant differences along ethnic and racial lines.

Although most Hispanics believe going to church is expected (55%), attendance is considered useless by 1 in 5—almost double the rate of the population as a whole.

Whites are among the least likely to consider church useless (8%), but 60% believe the church is declining.

In contrast, most African-Americans believe the church is growing (55%) and thriving (56%). More often than other groups, they describe church attendance as common (74%) and popular (61%).

“The longevity of the Christian church proves it is not a fad,” McConnell said. “Some Americans feel cultural expectations to attend church, but our recent research shows that those who actually do attend hold more closely to the teachings of Jesus Christ.”

Methodology: The phone survey of Americans was conducted Sept. 19-28, 2014. The calling utilized random digit dialing. Sixty percent of completes were among landlines and 40% among cell phones. Maximum quotas and slight weights were used for gender, region, age, ethnicity and education to more accurately reflect the population. The completed sample is 1,000 surveys. The sample provides 95&confidence that the sampling error does not exceed plus or minus 3.4%. Margins of error are higher in sub-groups.

For the original article, visit baptistpress.net.

Pure Flix announces an unprecedented partnership and distribution deal for the release of the upcoming feature film Woodlawn in theaters nationwide October 16, 2015.

Written and directed by the Erwin Brothers (Moms’ Night Out, October Baby) and produced by Kevin Downes, Woodlawn relives the true story surrounding the spiritual awakening that captured the heart of Woodlawn High School football team in Birmingham, Alabama during the 1970’s as they fight against racial prejudice and hatred.

The Woodlawn football team’s dedication to love and unity leads to the largest high school football game ever played in the torn city of Birmingham, and the rise of its first African American superstar, Tony Nathan, who later became a NFL running back for the Miami Dolphins (1979-1987). The official web site is woodlawnmovie.com and the trailer is available on youtube.com.

The cast includes Jon Voight as the iconic college football coach Paul “Bear” Bryant, Sean Astin as the team’s counselor and chaplain Hank Erwin, andNic Bishop as Woodlawn coach Tandy Gerelds.  Newcomer Caleb Castille is star running back Tony Nathan.  Also featured are C. Thomas Howell as the rival coach George “Shorty” White, Sherri Shepherd as Nathan’s mother, Lance Nicholsas Nathan’s father and Richard Kohnke as rival quarterback Jeff Rutledge.

“We are thrilled to be working with the Erwins and producer, Kevin Downes, on Woodlawn, as we are dedicated supporters of their work, and believe this film fits with their talents, and Pure Flix’s mission in terms of film content and quality,” said Pure Flix’s founding partner David A.R. White. “This opportunity also creates a great partnership to work with Provident Films, who has been a consistently successful player in theatrical faith movies over the past decade.”

Provident Films is the lead equity investor in the Woodlawn feature film. Provident is part of the theatrical marketing team, and they will be distributing the DVD title in the Christian market.

Faithlife, makers of Logos Bible Software, has just released What I Wish I’d Known, a free ebook authored by 26 of today’s most influential women in ministry, including Kay Arthur, June Hunt, Elyse Fitzpatrick, Kasey Van Norman and many others.

Each author contributed one chapter to the anthology, offering advice and reflections from their early years in ministry. The ebook is available for free exclusively from Vyrso, Faithlife’s e-reader app and online bookstore.

“As a young wife, mother and one who wrestles with faith and ministry each day, I can’t get over the fact that God has chosen these brave women to pave the way and walk alongside me,” said Kasey Van Norman, bestselling author, blogger, and Bible teacher. “They inspire me to believe God is greater, and they will do the same for you with this book! It was a joy and privilege to bare a small part of my soul in the wake of these beautiful women of God.”

The book is the result of Faithlife’s Women in Ministry Summit held in Dallas in August 2014. The two-day conference brought together women bloggers, teachers and leaders in an intimate setting where they could connect and learn from one another.

“So much wisdom in one place,” said Pam Farrel, author of more than 40 books and co-founder of Love-Wise. “This amazing book gathers the biblical, practical and inspirational insights of some of the most incredible women leaders today—all in one place! These words are a God-send of hope and help for every woman.”

“This book represents insights from an incredible group of women,” said Tayler Beede, Faithlife Women managing editor. “I love Pam Farrel’s advice on following God’s compass, Elyse Fitzpatrick’s journey to get to the heart of God’s message and Liz Curtis Higgs’ encouragement on taking criticism. These women are relatable and courageous, and I couldn’t be more proud of the finished product.“

Get What I Wish I’d Known for free at Vyrso.com/Women.

Ingram Publisher Services Inc., an Ingram Content Group company, has announced the addition of Adaptive Studios, Cahiers d'Art, Edgy Reads, Elevate Publishingand Mango Media to its growing list of publisher clients.  

Adaptive Studios is an innovative content creator that acquires abandoned intellectual property from feature film studios, award-winning playwrights and bestselling authors and repurposes it for a wide range of traditional and digital entertainment platforms. The company is currently producing Project Greenlight, an HBO docuseries chronicling the search for a first-time director and the resulting journey through the entire movie-making process starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.

Cahiers d’Art, founded in 1926, is one of the world’s most distinguished publishers of visual arts. The publishing house works with artists and their estates to create high-quality books that celebrate artists’ individual characters and visions.

Publishing house Edgy Reads was created by New York Times bestselling suspense and thriller author CJ Lyons to share independently published titles with readers in print and digital formats. Titles from Edgy Reads will include works from the popular Lucy Guardino FBI Thriller series and the Hart and Drake medical suspense series. 

Elevate Publishing was established in 2008 to help authors hone their craft and potential authors discover their voice through customized publishing and platform development services. With their two imprints, Elevate and Elevate Faith, Elevate Publishing publishes a wide range of business and faith-based general interest titles, including popular titles The Purpose Economy, The Inspired Leader, Fault Lines and Kingdom Matrix.

Mango Media publishes high-quality, innovative books for new audiences and new markets. Mango’s dedicated design and development team finesses code and the latest tools to produce beautifully designed books and smart e-books to connect with readers. Mango’s 100 titles a year program includes AP Editions, an imprint produced with The Associated Press, and next generation non-fiction titles like 99 Signs You Are Not in the 1%, Diet Hacks Handbook and 52 Simple Ways to Live Green. 

Steve Hayner was healthy and fit and serving as president of Columbia Seminary when he found out he had pancreatic cancer. He and his wife, Sharol, embarked on a journey together with their children that soon included tens of thousands of visits from friends and acquaintances via CaringBridge.

The overwhelming response to their posts on this website attested to the surprising and engaging way that they chose to live in the face of death. In the fall of 2015 InterVarsity Press will be releasing a compilation of those posts in the book Joy in the Journey: Finding Abundance in the Shadow of Death by Steve and Sharol Hayner.

Steve was always known for signing letters and emails, “Joyfully, Steve.” These pages, including reflections from some of those closest to Steve and Sharol, will offer a glimpse into what it means to walk in honesty, with joy, even through great pain. “On the journey of life, we need scouts ahead of us who send back guidance and encouragement,” Sharol said. “As scouts in the valley of the shadow of death, I hope that our discovery of God’s faithfulness, presence and gift of joy especially on the darkest days will bring courage and the desire to trust Jesus in life and in death.”

Steve was the president emeritus of Columbia Theological Seminary and an ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), as well as a professor, author and the former president of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. He held a PhD in Hebrew and Semitic Studies from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. He served on the boards of World Vision and International Justice Mission, among others. Known by many throughout the world, Steve’s passion was to prepare women and men to lead congregations toward the fulfillment of God’s call as churches who are biblically faithful and growing steadily in their love for God, their love for each other and their love for Christ’s work in the world.

“Steve Hayner has been first a hero and then a friend since I met him many years ago,” said John Ortberg, senior pastor of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church. “He was a people magnet and an idea machine and an energy force. To follow the journey that he and Sharol traveled together through the valley of the shadow of death was a privilege and a heartbreak and an education in hope. I’m grateful their searing, aching, honest, inspiring words are now permanently available. I cannot imagine a human being who would not benefit from it.”

Sharol has been serving in ministry for over forty years with her husband, Steve. She served as children’s music director at University Presbyterian Church in Seattle and as children’s music director and worship coordinator at Christ Presbyterian Church in Madison, Wisconsin. At age forty-eight she began seminary, and ultimately graduated from Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia. Ordained in the PCUSA, she served as associate pastor for discipleship at Peachtree Presbyterian Church and now serves as parish associate at Kairos Church, both in Atlanta. She has three children and five grandchildren.

“I worked at InterVarsity Press during Steve Hayner’s tenure and saw the lasting impact he had on our organizational culture,” said Cindy Bunch, editorial director for IVP Books. “It has been a privilege to work on this book project with Sharol, so filled with both beauty and pain. They are both, for me, mentors in the way of life and death.”

Joy in the Journey will include forewords by Steve’s close friends, Mark Labberton, president of Fuller Seminary in Pasadena, California, and Alex Gee, pastor of Fountain of Life Family Worship Center and president and founder of faith-based Nehemiah Community Development Corporation, both in Madison, Wisconsin.

To continue celebrating 50 years since work began on the New International Version (NIV) translation of the Bible, Biblica and Zondervan are releasing the next campaign theme: Made to Study.

Since its release in 1978, over 450 million copies of the NIV has been distributed worldwide.

“Made to Study” launched this week, continuing its focus on the historical milestones that accompanied the translation process. Fifty years ago, an international committee of cross-denominational evangelical scholars committed to spend countless hours discussing and debating detailed translation and language nuances.

Their goal? To create a Bible translation that could be understood and adopted by pastors, academics, and laypeople alike.

In 1978, the committee, known as The Committee on Bible Translation (CBT), released the full version of the NIV; readers were ecstatic that they could finally understand the Word of God in contemporary language. But the CBT’s work was far from complete.

A smaller group of committee scholars assembled study notes, maps, charts and diagrams to provide additional content and context, resulting in the NIV Study Bible. This Bible released in 1985 and provided unprecedented clarity with over 20,000 study notes and hundreds of study tools available to readers. The NIV Study Bible was designed for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the Bible.  To date, this Study Bible has sold more than 10 million copies, making it the best-selling single study Bible available over the past 30 years.

 “This anniversary campaign has been exciting thus far and we have only just begun to share the history of the NIV in this year-long campaign,” said John Kramp, SVP and Bible publisher for HarperCollins Christian Publishing. “The Made to Study campaign will continue to bring historical context to the NIV’s establishment within the Christian movement throughout the world. In addition to the translation itself, another key milestone of the CBT’s hard work was the publication of the NIV Study Bible.

“This Bible has been so impactful in helping Bible readers to grow deeper in their faith and understanding of God’s Word. Hundreds of thousands of people have come to better know Jesus because of this Bible’s commitment to making the deep study of God’s Word achievable.”

Visit www.thenivbible.com to view the Made to Study video, along with several stories related to the theme under the “50th Anniversary” tab. Earlier this year, Biblica, Zondervan and Tecarta launched a free NIV 50th Anniversary mobile app available on IOS and Android that provides free access to the NIV for the 2015 calendar year.

Integrity Music writers Travis Ryan and Matt Hooper were honored at the 2015 ASCAP Christian Music Awards for their song “We Believe,” which they performed during the ceremony.

“We Believe,” a No. 1 radio single for the Grammy Award-nominated group Newsboys, was recognized as one of the top five performed songs for 2014. In addition to writing for Integrity, Ryan and Hooper also record for the label.

Ryan will release a new live EP this summer that will be recorded at his church, LifePoint in Smyrna, Tennessee. Hooper, based in the UK, wrote and was featured on the LIFE Worship song “Dance Again,” which has garnered more than 10 million views on GodTube. (Shown in the top left photo are left-to-right: ASCAP's LeAnn Phelan, Integrity Music Creative Director Mike Murray, Matt Hooper and Travis Ryan.)

Integrity Music is the worship music recording and publishing home to a variety of artists and ministries around the globe including: All Sons & Daughters, Paul Baloche, New Life Worship, Planetshakers, Lincoln Brewster, LIFE Worship, Worship Central, Travis Ryan, Covenant Worship, NCC Worship, Dustin Smith, Desperation Band, Bluetree, Christine D’Clario, Stu G, Beth Croft, Sheldon Bangera, Danilo Montero, Jacobo Ramos, and Dove Award winning and nominated songwriters Jennie Lee Riddle, Israel Houghton, Jared Anderson, Michael Farren and Michael Neale.