Lifeway Research analysis reveals most impactful keys to discipleship

Posted by Aaron Earls | Nov 5, 2026 | Feature, Lifeway Research BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — The average churchgoer scores low on discipleship, but focusing on a few key areas can lead to growth. The State of Discipleship study by Lifeway Research found the average U.S. Protestant churchgoer scores 68.1 on a scale of 0 to 100, but new analysis of the data reveals several key variables linked to higher discipleship scores overall and across eight critical signposts. Those wanting to grow in their faith may want to focus on actions such as taking time to praise God, praying for non-Christians and reading their Bible. “The heart behind this analysis is not to create a list to work but to give churchgoers and church leaders ways to draw near to God that have been statistically shown to be the most helpful,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research.

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