What’s Your Ultimate Purpose? Do You Care?

A recent LifeWay Research study found that Americans with even a slight curiosity about an ultimate purpose to life are more likely to participate in worship services, while half of those who never attend church never wonder about life’s ultimate purpose.

Approximately 75 percent of the 2,000 adults surveyed nationally indicate that they either agree or strongly agree with the statement, “There is an ultimate purpose and plan for every person’s life.” However, 50 percent of respondents who never attend worship services disagree with the statement.

“This contrast has significant implications for churches,” said Scott McConnell, director of LifeWay Research. “It is no wonder that many of the unchurched are unengaged in church activity when they don’t believe an exclusive purpose exists for their own lives – in other words, why go to church to learn about God’s plan if you don’t think there is one.”

The study examined three other aspects of meaning and purpose. More than two-thirds of Americans agree (strongly or somewhat) that the pursuit of meaning or purpose is a priority, but only half wonder about it each month. Seventy-eight percent agree “It is important that I pursue a higher purpose and meaning for my life” while 67 percent agree “A major priority in my life is finding my deeper purpose.”

When asked, “How often do you wonder: ‘How can I find more meaning and purpose in my life?’” 51 percent of Americans indicated at least monthly, including 18 percent who wonder about it daily. Thirteen percent wonder about finding more meaning and purpose yearly and 28 percent never think about it.

The study asked two questions about how often people think of specific aspects of the afterlife, the first being, “How often do you wonder: ‘If I were to die today, do I know for sure that I would go to heaven?’” Thirty-one percent of Americans wonder about this at least monthly, including 8 percent wondering about it daily. Eleven percent think yearly about personally going to heaven and 46 percent never think about it.

via Ultimate purpose and meaning: Some say they pursue it, others do not.

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How does this study influence the people you are trying to reach that are far from God?