A new survey revealed Christians who pray frequently are more comfortable having conversations about spirituality than those who do not prioritize the practice.
According to data from the Barna Group, a faith-based research firm based in Ventura, California, 98 percent of “eager conversationalists,” those who have had 10 or more conversations about faith in the past year, spent time in prayer in the past week. Slightly fewer — 86 percent — of “reluctant conversationists,” those who have had between zero and nine conversations about faith in the past year, said they spent time in prayer.
If you spend time in prayer regularly, it's likely you're more eager to engage in conversations about faith.https://t.co/5zIWJdzmha pic.twitter.com/yE8gbgudCq
— Barna Group (@BarnaGroup) November 15, 2018
In addition, 64 percent of “eager conversationalists” said they read the Bible within the past week, while only 41 percent of “reluctant conversationalists” said the same. And 62 percent of “eager conversationalists” attended a church worship service in the last week compared to the 33 percent of “reluctant conversationalists.”
In response to the new survey, Rev. Dr. Anthony Cook, executive director for United States Ministries for Lutheran Hour Ministries, told Barna, “When Christians are intentionally involved in both spiritual practices and spiritual conversations, faith deepens and eagerness to share that faith grows.”
He went on to say the reason an eagerness to share faith is linked directly to believers ’ commitment to spiritual practices is both sociological and theological.
Cook said the “Holy Spirit is at work in both spiritual practices and spiritual conversations.” From a sociological standpoint, the reverend explained, “The more we share our faith, the more we understand who we are and the more confident and eager we become as Christians.”