Lifeway Research has released a new survey that reveals that female Protestant churchgoers spend more time with God than men. The survey was conducted between September 19-29, 2022 and involved 1002 Americans. The survey focused on Protestants and non-Catholics. According to the study, 65 percent of churchgoers intentionally spend daily time with God, with 21 percent stating they spend time with God more than once a day. Seventeen percent said they spend time with God several times a week, seven percent said once a week, while 1 percent of respondents said they never spend quiet time with God. 

Forty-eight percent of women spent daily time with God as opposed to 38 percent of men. Spending time with God appeared different to those in the survey, with more women (66 percent) saying they praise God during their quiet time than men (57 percent). Men preferred to meditate on the characteristics of God over women (21 percent vs. 16 percent). Prayer was the most common activity during quiet time, with 83 percent praying in their own words and 49 percent confessing sin. Only 39 percent spent their quiet time reading the Bible or a devotional. Twenty percent prayed a set prayer. Younger adults were more likely to pray a set prayer than older adults (those 50 years of age and over). 

The study also showed that those who regularly attended church were more likely to spend time with God. The study found that those who attend church four times a month are more likely than those who attend church three times or less a month to spend time alone with God more than once a day (26 percent vs. 13 percent). In looking at the data, Lifeway Research Director Scott McConnell stated he saw a pattern reminiscent of Scripture. “We see a pattern in Scripture of followers of God withdrawing to spend time alone with Him. Jesus Christ, Himself also did this. Most Protestant churchgoers continue this relational interaction with God and use a variety of resources as they do.”

 The gap between men and women reflects a growing disparity in men’s involvement in the church. In March 2021, Solomon Green wrote an op-ed for The Christian Post entitled “Crisis in the Christian Church: A lack of young, single men” and stated that “Religious communities normally form semi-closed dating and marriage pools. However, new families cannot be formed when there is a barrier of severe gender imbalance. According to Lyman Stone’s study, a typical Sunday service has 71 eligible men to 100 eligible women. This is an enormous problem within the Body of Christ that isn’t getting any better or going to fix itself. New men aren’t just going to walk into churches.” 

He suggested that churches need to focus more on issues that interest men, including discussing topics like sex, marriage, dating, and singleness. He also encouraged churches to place equal emphasis on men’s activities as they do women’s. “On Mother’s Day, pastors tend to preach sermons about the wonderful maternal examples in the Bible… Mothers are praised and told how wonderful they are and how being a mom is one of the hardest jobs in the world…. They are given flowers, cards, brunches, and gifts… But Father’s Day takes a backseat… Fathers are told that they need to step up their game… the overall message to men is ‘Do Better,’ while the message to women is ‘You’re Amazing.’” He ended his article by writing, “The Body of Christ will not be as strong as it is supposed to be with this serious gender imbalance. The vast majority of young Christian ladies desire to get married, and once the men in the church are taken, the remaining women will either stay single, marry Christian men who don’t attend church or marry non-Christian men. These three options are all deadly blows to the church. If the church seeks to stay strong, it must draw the men back in.”