A REPORT BY
UNITED CHRISTIAN BROADCASTERS
"Everything has changed, a complete interruption to routine and schedule; it shows where there were cracks and needs that I didn't get round to dealing with. Lockdown meant I could have space to question, seek God's will and not just assume. I need His input and I can't do it without Him, which I had forgotten. Now the challenge is to stay connected to Him whilst stepping into new routines. I don't want this growth to be wasted."
Survey Respondent
THE METHODOLOGY
AND THE RESPONDENTS
STRENGTH
OF FAITH
In September 2020, UCB (United Christian Broadcasters) commissioned a survey – Faith during lockdown – with the goal of finding out how the inital lockdown measures and Covid-19 had impacted people’s faith. Did they feel stronger in their faith? Or were they finding life under restrictions tough?
We also wanted to see if the nation’s prayer and Bible reading habits had changed and if there was anything in particular they’d found comforting and encouraging.
Over a thousand respondents offered their views.
55% of respondents said their faith had grown stronger since the outbreak of Covid-19, with some respondents saying they had discovered a ‘deeper connection to God’ and that having more time and less distractions had prompted them to read the Bible more frequently.
Around 9% of respondents had begun to question their faith more, with some respondents saying they were ‘feeling tested at the moment’ or that they were struggling to engage with spiritual disciplines, such as prayer and Bible reading, due to the current situation.
SOCIETY
76% of respondents felt society generally has behaved in a more caring way since the outbreak of Covid-19 – with 25% saying this is ‘definitely’ the case and 51% saying they thought society was ‘a little’ more caring. 48% of non-regular churchgoers felt there was evidence of a more caring attitude in society, with the figure rising to around three quarters (78%) in the case of regular churchgoers.
COMFORT
In a multiple choice section, respondents looked to the following for comfort and encouragement during lockdown:
Survey respondents
"With all the uncertainty at the moment, I often feels doubts and anger creeping in so I read my Bible, pray and study more to refocus my mind from this."
"I lost my job, so have had more time on my hands and there have been so many more resources online due to physical events not happening"
BIBLE
READING
"During lockdown, mainly I changed where I read the Bible. Each morning I sat in my garden with a coffee and beautiful weather, and with much less to do due to lockdown, I could and did enjoy the quiet and really get into every passage. It was like it was just me and God."
Survey Respondent
36% of respondents said they were reading the Bible more since Covid-19, with the most common reason being they had more time to do so.
64% said that prayer and Bible reading had helped ‘a great deal’ with feelings of anxiety and concerns about the future.
46% of respondents said they were reading the Bible about the same amount as they did before the lockdown.
30% of respondents said the Psalms had given them most comfort, with Psalm 91 and Psalm 23 being the most popular.
Respondents’ reasons for reading the Bible more included: ‘looking for comfort’ and ‘wanted to strengthen their faith’.
PRAYER
Respondents were asked if their prayer habits had changed during lockdown, and if so, could they pinpoint a reason why. Anxiousness was a common reason offered for more prayer, with many reporting they had worries about the future and needed to know that ‘God was with them’ during the uncertainty.
64% of respondents suggested that prayer had helped them ‘a great deal’.
"We are in very difficult times; praying more and conversing with God keeps my sanity. Prevents me from being depressed. Praying gives me hope."
Survey Respondent
47% of respondents indicated they are praying more now than before Covid-19.
"I want to press in closer to God. He is so good and has taught me so much during lockdown."
Survey Respondent
ONLINE
CHURCH SERVICES
Survey respondents
"I have watched a lot of online church services and since the churches have opened up I try to go twice a week. I find that I pray more because I am worried about the future."
"We have more time available, even in retirement, probably because we haven’t been allowed to do all that we used to do. A new season, with more developed habits has begun – we now spend virtually the whole morning with our Bible study and prayer, where it used to be a couple of hours at most."