In the early days of the crisis, Barna® began conducting weekly pastor surveys to check in on the pulse of Protestant church leaders and their people during the pandemic. Just a month into tracking (April 14–20, 2020), Barna® asked pastors about the immediate needs of their congregants. Emotional well-being (34%), spiritual well-being (25%), and relational well-being (23%) topped the list, and these concerns held steady throughout the summer.
When Barna® asked again (August 13–17, 2020), church leaders responded in higher numbers than before for two of the three needs (28% emotional, 35% spiritual, 27% relational).
