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NEWS & NOTES

FAST FACTS: n A 2022 LifeWay Research study examin ing the greatest challenges facing pastors found that stress is one of the most com mon mental and emotional struggles experienced by Protestant pastors in the United States. Nearly two-thirds (63%) identified stress as a significant minis try-related challenge. Additionally, 48% reported facing struggles with discour agement, while another 48% identified distraction as a challenge affecting their ministry. 9 n Adults who leave Protestant traditions are most likely to transition into the category of religiously unaffiliated individuals. In the United States, among the 14% of adults who have departed from Protestant faith communities, 10% now identify as having no religious affiliation. 10 n A recent LifeWay Research study found that nearly one-third (30%) of U.S. Protestant churchgoers agree that many people in their lives are unaware that they identify as Christians. The finding suggests that a significant number of believers may not openly communicate or visibly express their faith in their everyday relationships. 11 n Although Christianity continues to expe rience global growth, Islam is expanding at a faster rate. Current estimates indicate that Christianity’s annual growth rate is ap proximately 0.95%, compared with Islam’s 1.57%. 12 n Wycliffe Bible Translators UK recently announced a significant milestone: the Bible has now been translated into 800 languages. This means that approximately 6.2 billion people worldwide have access to the complete Bible in their own lan guage. The organization described this accomplishment as part of a remarkable acceleration in Bible translation over the past few years. 13 n Approximately 43 million Americans col lectively owe about $1.6 trillion in federal student loan debt. This total surpasses the nation’s combined credit card debt, according to data reported for the first quarter of 2024. 14 n Although adopted children represent only about 2% of the U.S. child population, experts estimate that they make up ap proximately 25-40% of youth receiving care in residential treatment settings. 15

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